I Cannot Offer You Freedom
by SanoGirl
Summary: Michael and Robin discover something between them and find solace in their growing relationship. But then, Michael takes hacking one step too far and discovers his mother was murdered by a witch. Will he act too rashly and destroy what they just found?
1. Chapter 1

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

2:00 am. He yawned and stretched his arms as high as they would go over his head. His back cracked and he flexed long, nimble fingers tiredly. _How did it get so late so quick?_

Barely glancing at the screen, Michael stood up and yawned once again, rubbing eyes bluer then the sky; time to get some sleep. He walked out of the room and did not look back at the glowing screen, on which the picture of a smiling woman was displayed.

***

Politely covering her mouth with one petite hand, Robin yawned as she stepped out of the elevator. Glancing around, she was surprised to find that Michael was nowhere to be seen; ever since she had started working at the STN-J, Michael had always been hard at work long before her or any of the others. Of course, that was mostly due to the fact that he never left the building, the computer being his only link to the outside world.

The blonde-haired girl walked curiously over to said computer, her skirts swishing gently as she went. _I wonder . . ._

Sitting down in the chair that Michael usually occupied, she turned and focused her attention the screen. _Inara Lee._ A loud gasp escaped her lips as green eyes read the words displayed by the picture still on the monitor. _Michael's . . . mother?!_ Quickly she scanned the article and discovered it was an obituary, and an old one at that. Reading the date, she noticed it was over three years ago and a choked sob escaped her lips. _Poor Michael!_

The woman in the picture had flaming orange hair, much like her son's, and she was smiling as if she shared a private joke with the cameraman, one that only they would understand. Her eyes were an alluring green; they danced and sparkled with an inner light that made Robin want to smile. She brushed her fingertips against the flat screen and sighed, sitting back in the chair. _I never knew . . ._

Startled at the sudden sound of footsteps she glanced up to find Michael walking slowly into the room, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Glancing up, their gazes locked for a single moment and Robin almost gasped again as she noticed the piercing blueness of his irises. It was rare to see Michael without his glasses and when you did, his eyes would catch you off guard with their brilliance. _Almost like his mother's . . ._

But as soon as their eyes fell, and Michael slipped his glasses back on, he let out a strangled noise and lept for the keyboard. Startled, Robin jumped up from the chair just as Michael hit a key and the screen before them went blank. Breathing harshly through his nose, he did not look at her.

"Michael." His name hung in the still air between them, humming with the silence. But still, he did not look at her even though she continued to watch him with eyes that could set a man on fire if she wished it so.

Sighing, he finally glanced up at her and she caught the flare of anger in his azure depths. "Michael," she said again.

"I don't want your pity!" His voice was loud, almost a shout and Robin took an involuntary step backwards. Her face twisted into a mask of perplexity but he failed to notice. "Just-"

But he was cut off by the arrival of a yawning Doujima. "Wow, we're actually on time for once," the hacker muttered under his breath, finally turning the screen back on, but quickly hiding his mother's obituary.

With one last glance, Robin turned and left him alone, wandering over to Karasuma as the brunette walked in; she was the only one of them that actually looked awake. Michael followed her slender form with stormy eyes, wondering just how much his coworker had seen. Sighing, he brought up the obituary once more, and the anger faded from his eyes, only to be replaced with a depthless pain.

_Mother . . ._


	2. Chapter 2

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

All day long, Robin kept shooting glances at the blue-eyed hacker. He didn't seem to be acting any different then usual today, not after this morning anyway. He kept up his usually cheerful attitude and answered any questions that were asked of him. The clicking of his deft fingers flying over the keys filled the room, providing a background to Doujima's whining and Chief Kosaka's complaining.

_I wonder what he does here at night . . . all alone . . . It must get pretty lonely._

A light touch on the shoulder from Karasuma drew her out of her wonderings and back into the STN-J building. "It's time to go home, Robin," the older woman said and gave her a quick smile before heading out herself.

Slightly surprised at how fast the day had gone, Robin got up and started gathering her coat, all the while failing to notice Michael's smoldering look following her every move. Just as she stepped out, she heard his voice floating through the air from behind her. "Goodnight, Robin."

Smiling, she called back her own goodnight and left work for the day.

***

The screen glowed and pulsated with an unearthly light that reflected off his glasses and lit the room weakly. Even though the day was technically over, Michael's fingers still flew over the keys and his lithe form remained in its place in front of the monitor. The picture of his mother opened up in front of his eyes and he leaned back, staring at the smiling face as if his life depended on it. _Mom . . ._

His mind flew back to Robin, and the look in her eyes when she had seen the obituary. _Maybe, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let her know . . . I haven't told anyone before. Maybe it's about time I finally decided to let someone know how I really feel . . ._

The hacker's mind toyed with these ideas, trust, companionship, _feelings_. Should he trust Robin with his secret? Should he place confidence in another human after so many years of relying only on himself?

~FLASHBACK~

"I hate you! I _hate_ you!" The body in front of him remained silent, cold, and unmoving. Throwing himself down by the edge of his mother's coffin, Michael slammed his fist down on the edge, angry tears pouring down his face. "Why did you have to do this to me?! I thought you were my _mother_! First daddy leaves, and now you! How could you!? How _could_ you?! I hate you!"

Strong arms looped themselves around his slender ones, pulling him away, and soft, soothing voices whispered in his ear, trying to calm him.

"I trusted you! And you deserted me! I hate you!

The pulling was more insistent now, the voices not so gentle.

"I HATE YOU!"

~END FLASHBACK~

Gasping at the sudden onslaught of memories, ones he had buried years ago, Michael focused on the screen once more and felt his stomach churn. _Why?_

Angrily, he pounded a fist down on the keyboard and Inara's picture jumped and crackled. Sighing heavily, he put his face in his hands and dug the usually typing fingers through thick orange locks. _What the hell am I going to do?_

~~~

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! ^.^ I'm sorry the chapters have been so short, it's just I haven't had a lot of time the past few days and each of the endings has seemed like a good place to leave off. I'll try and write longer ones in the future!

~SanoGirl


	3. Chapter 3

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

The sheets rustled softly as she turned over for what seemed like the millionth time that night, trying to get comfortable. But Michael's face flooded her mind, and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't seem to fall asleep. Robin opened her eyes and stared at the small patch of moonlight on the floor. She should go to him.

The thought was unexpected and firm, and the young girl was more then slightly surprised at its existence. _Where did that come from?_

But even so, she rose and put on her black dress and tied her hair up with their usual ribbons. Closing the door to her room behind her, she crept silently out of the house, not wishing to awaken Touko.

The moon was full that night, and its bright silver rays illuminated the streets and buildings outside with an ethereal glow. Robin breathed in deeply and felt the cool night air sting her nostrils slightly, smelling faintly of grass and smoke. _Maybe I'll get him a little something before I head over to the STN-J . . ._

~~~

The slight rustling of material and the faint smell of something familiar roused him from his half-sleep, tickling his mind and senses until he was almost driven mad by the teasing. Raising his head, Michael caught sight of a box of donuts sitting on the desk before him, a pale hand withdrawing from setting them there.

Curious, Michael caught hold of the hand, holding it in his, and looked up at its owner. Robin gazed back down at him, her eyes wondering and her mouth already curving upwards in a tiny smile.

Unconsciously smiling back, Michael suddenly realized he was still holding the 15-year-old's hand, and let go quickly, a faint line of red staining the skin under his eyes. Looking down he reached out a hand and took the donuts, opening the box and taking one out, offering another to Robin.

But she declined, looking over his shoulder at the picture still floating on the computer monitor. The hacker flicked his eyes between her slender form and the screen several times. _Should I tell her? CAN I tell her?_ He closed his eyes for a moment, his mind toying with him much like a cat toys with a mouse. Resolve hardened his features. _Yes . . . I can . . ._ But just as he opened his mouth to explain, the Craft User beat him to it.

"Is that your mother?" Her voice was gentle, and she pulled up another chair and joined him by the computer.

Sighing quietly, he hung his head for a moment, before raising it determinedly and looking her directly in the eye. "Yes . . . that is . . . my mother."

Robin nodded and looked at the picture again for a long moment before saying, "You look a lot like her, you know."

Michael nodded wordlessly, astounded at Robin's tone of normalcy and her unpitying response to his situation. "You have the same hair . . . and she seems have the same optimistic outlook you have."

He smiled sadly. "She was the one who gave it to me really. She taught me to always take things as they come, to live everyday as if it were my first and last. I can remember-" His voice broke here as he choked back a sob.

Understanding clouding her emerald eyes, Robin leaned forward and put her arms around the upset hacker. Letting himself mold to her embrace, the blue-eyed boy waited a moment and continued. "I can remember, she always used to say 'Michael, you worry too much. Forget what's going to happen tomorrow and relax; live for the moment, and I promise you, you will never want for anything'. That's stuck with me all this time." He snorted quietly. "It's the only thing that's kept me from going insane, stuck here in this place. I take it a day at a time . . ."

He trailed off and closed his eyes for a moment, the warm arms around him triggering a flow of memories he had thought were forgotten. Robin glanced down at the orange head on her shoulder and admitted, "I never knew my parents."

Pulling away slightly, Michael looked up at her and saw neither regret, nor sadness in her eyes. _What must that have been like for her? I can't even begin to imagine . . . _Aloud he said, "That must have been tough . . . at least I had my mother when I was growing up."

"The convent wasn't a bad place," she replied, her voice soft, and smooth as ever. "But you . . . what about your father?" She saw Michael's mouth tighten into a thin line as he sat up; she let her arms fall.

He looked away from his co-worker and answered in a steely voice, "He left my mother when I was three. I don't remember him."

Robin heard the pain and anguish in his voice, and knew there must be more to the story, but she didn't push him. It was surprising enough already that he had decided to share all these other facts with her; while the hacker was a friendly, easy-going person, he didn't like to talk much about his private life, and Robin hadn't really known too much about him until now.

Looking back at her, Michael reached out one hand and brushed a lock of blonde hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry Robin." His eyes took on a faraway look and for some unexplainable reason, Robin felt her heart speed up.

But with a soft sound, the STN-J worker let his hand drop and turned back to the desk in front of them. "Thanks for the donuts."

Robin smiled at him and reached out one hand, taking his in hers.

For the rest of the night, the two sat in silence, listening to the other's breathing.

~~~

Yay! A long chapter! ^.^ This one was about twice the length of the others, and I hope you all enjoy it! I know the plot is still a little slow and I apologize for that. Gomen! Things will start unfolding the next chapter though, I promise, thanks so much for reading. Reviews or suggestions would be much appreciated!

~SanoGirl


	4. Chapter 4

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

"Miro Yukimora. 34 years old. White male." Michael's voice sounded loud in the silence of the meeting room, all eyes intent on his slender form. "Obviously, he's a witch, otherwise we wouldn't be bothering with him."

Sakaki snorted and Doujima rolled her eyes. Amon didn't even spare them a glance. "What's his power?" Zaizen asked stepping into the room.

"Sir?" Michael asked, confused.

"Forgive me Michael, I didn't have the time to discover anything about him for myself, before I joined you here. I've been busy with . . . other things."

Michael just nodded and tapped at the keyboard for a few moments. When his fingers stopped, his eyes began roaming the screen, finding what he was looking for and then blinking rapidly several times.

"Yes?" his boss prompted, slightly impatient.

"Well, um . . . it's just-" he turned to look up at the tall older man. "He . . . he can _fly_ sir."

Zaizen's eyes took on a skeptical look and Doujima burst out laughing. "A _flying_ witch?! Does he use a broomstick, or does he just flap his arms?!" Her loud laughter echoed in the small room.

The hacker's cheeks went pink and he risked flicking his eyes towards Robin. She gave him a small reassuring smile and he nodded at her in return, turning away at the sound of Zaizen's voice.

"A flying witch?" But there was no trace of Doujima's mockery to be found in his voice. The serious tone deadened all other small noises, the lazy girl's laughter having finally ceased. "Well that could pose a few problems, but nothing too serious, this shouldn't be too hard for you guys. Amon!" He turned to the dark witch hunter. "Head on out as soon as possible."

Amon nodded and the head of the STN-J left the room, presumably going back to his own office. Michael continued to remain motionless in front of the terminal, even as the others filed out, Amon in the lead. Robin paused before she went out and tapped his shoulder gently. "Something wrong?"

He jumped slightly, as if he hadn't noticed her presence and shook his head; his blue eyes, however, remained riveted on the screen. "No, I'm alright, I just have a bad feeling about this one. I'm gonna do a little extra research and see what comes up."

Robin nodded and left him alone. The rest of the STN-J team knew better then to bother Michael when he was searching for something; he may not have come to work with them by choice, but he was intent on the work and he was thorough. Now, he had entered another one of his information-finding modes, fingers flying, head tilted forward, eyes flicking over the screen reading letters and numbers too fast for anyone else to catch. His headphones blared loud music that could be heard even from a few feet away. _There he goes again._

But later that night, after the others had left, Michael was still sitting by the same computer, tying away. The team had stayed in that day, on account of Michael's premonition and desire to find more information. With no real work to do, they had gone home early, early even for Doujima.

Even after hours of sitting before a screen, Michael's eyes never faltered. They scanned and absorbed almost everything that appeared and disappeared in front of them, no matter how fast; it was a little trick one picked up after so many months of doing the same.

A file popped up on his screen, and the nimble fingers grew still over the dark keys. "Bingo," he whispered, leaning forward even more and beginning to scroll through the document. The first part was mostly things he had already found out; the man had a criminal record, violent temper, reputation for causing trouble wherever he went . . .

Suddenly, his eyes froze, mouth parting open in a strangled sound of surprise. His hands flew up to his face and he stood up, stumbling backwards and almost tripping over the chair. Hot, stinging tears formed in the corners of his eyes and he felt his stomach heave. Running from the room, he emptied its contents into the toilet, breath coming in harsh pants.

That witch had murdered his mother.

***

With a gasp, Robin sat up in bed, clutching the blankets to her chest. Confused, she rubbed a slender hand through the thin film of sweat covering her forehead then tried to remember her reason for awakening so suddenly. Finally writing it off as a nightmare, she lay back down and rolled over, getting comfortable beneath the warm sheets.

But sleep would not come.

The blonde-haired witch hunter lay awake the rest of the night, watching as the crimson dawn colored the sky like blood.

***

. . . *blinks* Wow. I never expected so much positive feedback from everyone! Thank you SO much to all you who reviewed, it helps me more then you know! I love hearing what everyone thinks, and now that I know you seem to like it this much, I'll try and write a little faster. ^_~ Wow, thanks again! You guys are the greatest!

~SanoGirl


	5. Chapter 5

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

Rising early, Robin decided there was no point in lying around doing nothing. After a cold shower, she crept around the small residence quietly, doing her best not to awaken Touko.

About an hour later, she was seated on her vespa riding slowly through the sleepy streets and watching the fog swirl around her hands. It was the type of fog that didn't really impair your vision, just blurred things so that they reminded one of a half-forgotten dream or a wispy ghost. She sighed and breathed in deeply through her nose; the air was cool and crisp.

Turning into Raven's Flat, she parked the vespa and entered the elevator, just like any other normal day. She entered the STN-J quietly, automatically looking around for Michael. _That's odd . . ._

She heard a noise to her side and whirled around only to find Michael leaning against the wall, head hanging down and hands limp at his sides. "Michael!" She rushed over to the older boy, worry clouding her eyes. "Michael?" Gently she touched one of his arms and nearly jumped through the ceiling when one hand darted out and latched onto hers.

The hacker looked up at her, and Robin allowed a gasp to escape her lips. His eyes were bloodshot and carried such a look of immense pain that the blonde girl almost cried just seeing it. It was obvious he too had been crying, for there were still fresh tear-trails on his cheeks and his mouth was turned down slightly at the corners. "Michael . . ." she whispered.

"He killed my mother," he replied in a dull, flat voice. But she saw his true emotion as anger kindled in the depths of his blue eyes. "He killed her."

Confused, Robin was just about to ask who when the boy suddenly slumped forwards, body trembling. Catching him with reflexes honed by all the witch hunting, Robin supported her friend as they moved towards the computer chairs. Pulling two up she gently set the obviously exhausted computer genius into one and took the other for herself. Fresh tears streamed down his face as she put her arms around him and hugged his body to hers. "Now. . . who killed your mother?" she asked, voice soft and soothing.

His body shook even harder with the new wave of sobs, but somehow he managed to choke out, "That witch! Miro Yukimora."

Nodding in understanding, Robin continued to hug Michael, holding him while he poured out his sorrow to her. She murmured occasionally, nonsense words and soothing sounds, feeling as his body gradually stopped trembling and his breathing evened out.

Eventually, the tears stopped altogether and the hacker pulled back and sat up. Wiping his cheeks with his hands, he refused to look at Robin until he felt he had regained his composure. Meeting her eyes, one hand traced the lines of her face in a gentle caress. "Why?"

Taken aback at his question, Robin only sat in silence, closing her eyes at the feel of his hand on her cheek. Cupping her other cheek in his other hand as well, Michael leaned in and asked again, "Why?"

His breath was a whisper that tickled her cheek and when the young Craft-User finally opened her eyes, she found herself staring into bottomless sapphire depths that seemed to suck her in even more with every passing moment. In a shaky voice she replied, voice barely audible, "I . . . I don't like seeing you in such pain. I don't like seeing you like this."

With a sigh, Michael looked down for a moment, freeing Robin from his penetrating gaze. "He killed my mother." That same flat voice cut Robin's heart even deeper then the anguish in his eyes had. "I can neither forgive nor forget that."

Anger started to boil beneath his calm tone, and the teenaged girl shuddered at its tone. "Michael!"

"He killed my mother! She's dead because of him! He's the reason why my life was torn to pieces!"

The silence seemed terribly loud after his sudden outburst and both gave an involuntary quiver at its oppressiveness. "I'll kill him," the hacker said, voice quiet and steely. "I'll kill him with my own two hands and see that he receives his proper justice. He took an innocent life, and therefore he deserves to be punished."

Horrified, Robin put a hand on her friend's arm; this was _not_ the Michael she knew! "Michael, what are you saying? You're not a hunter!"

"I know that! But I can't just sit by and watch as you kill him. I have to even out the score, settle this and avenge my mother."

Robin just shook her head. "You know you're being unreasonable, you can't leave the building."

With a glare, Michael looked over at Robin, eyes flashing. "I don't care! I would rather die then just sit here and let my mother's killer go unpunished! I-"

But Robin cut him off with a firm hand over his mouth. "You can't," she said voice matter-of-fact. "And you know it. Now, promise me you won't. Promise me."

Slowly, Michael closed his eyes and his lips moved against her soft palm, brushing it with the most tender of kisses. Startled, Robin's hand lost its insistence and fell to her side. The hacker's eyes met her own and both his hands took hers in a gentle grasp.

Eyes filled with regret, he opened his mouth and-

"Isn't this cute?" Karasuma's voice startled them both so much, they sprang apart instantly, hearts pounding in their chests. She grinned at both of them and turned away as Amon entered behind her.

Shooting Michael a glance, Amon said, "We're heading out. _Now._"

Robin followed him and Karasuma, and tried to forget the regret and pain she has seen clouding Michael's eyes. _All for the better; now he can't do anything._

***

Eh, I really don't like this chapter. -__- The next one will have some action in it, I promise! This is moving much slower then I had originally intended, so I'll try and post the witch hunt ASAP! Reviews would be much appreciated!

~SanoGirl

P.S. Once again, I was astounded by the amount of feedback I got from you guys. THANK YOU SO MUCH! ^_~


	6. Chapter 6

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

The car sped along the road at an accelerated pace; Robin didn't even have to look at the speedometer to know that Amon was going over the speed limit. Turning to look out the window, she watched as the world flew by in one gigantic blur, and thought of Michael.

Five minutes later, the car came to a screeching halt, and only the fact that she was wearing a seatbelt saved Robin from getting her head slammed off the dashboard in front of her. Getting out with slightly shaking limbs, she quickly calmed herself and slipped on her glasses. Amon saw this and gave her one sharp nod. "Sakaki?" His attention was now directed at the headset curling around his jawbone.

Robin took this time to survey the scene in front of her, and she didn't like the looks of it. The building had probably started disintegrating over twenty years ago and been labeled as 'unsafe' about fifteen years ago. Now she stood in front of it, eyeing the skeletal structure warily, seeing the missing windows and the bare beams in a new light.

"Get ready, we're going in now!" Amon's voice was a shock to her system, and she scrambled to follow directly behind his swirling black coat.

But she had caught the glimpse of scorn in his eyes that told her he thought this was a waste of his ever so valuable times. _It does seem like a lot of fuss over nothing . . ._ Stairs, with their railings gone and several steps missing, rose suddenly in front of her. _If all he does is fly . . ._

Amon burst onto the floor in front of her, careful not to place his feet where the floorboards were gone. His gun came up with a loud click, just as Sakaki and Karasuma barreled through the door on the opposite side of the floor; their guns flew up also, with sounds that mimicked Amon's. But they were aiming at nothing.

Wary, Amon crept forward, avoiding the large holes that peppered the floor, reminding Robin of Swiss Cheese. Sakaki and Karasuma fanned out on their side, also being careful of where they placed their feet.

Even from so far away, Robin saw Sakaki's eyes narrow, and just as he was about to lower his gun, the ceiling in the center of the room collapsed with a resounding crash.

Grunting, Amon dropped into a crouch, Robin stepping to one side, eyes fixed on the shadowy form now lowering itself through the newly formed entrance.

She could not suppress a small gasp as her glittering emerald eyes caught their first glimpse of Miro Yukimora.

She heard a similar sound of surprise from Amon and saw the stunned looks on her other partners' faces.

Obviously Miro saw their faces too, for his own twisted itself into a sneer. Satisfaction then took over as he flapped the pair of large, glossy black wings extending from his back, sending dust and wood splinters dancing through the air. His laughter sounded loud in their ears as all the witch hunters cringed and shut their eyes.

Opening them quickly, Sakaki fired several shots at Miro, only to have them dodged easily, his powerful wings keeping him aloft and giving him a sense of motion that could not be achieved on the ground.

"Aim for the wings!" Amon shouted into the headpiece, voice certain. His gun then fired two bullets, but they imbedded themselves harmlessly into the wall opposite him. Miro had dodged again, and his laughter seemed louder now, mocking their attempts at his capture.

Angry, Robin raised her eyes to the sleek wings, her craft singing in her veins. Fire shot towards the large feathers, and a gleam of self-satisfaction flashed in her eyes before she found her own fire turned back upon her by those malevolent wings. One powerful thrash had deterred her fire. With a cry, she threw her hands up, feeling the heat and the searing pain usually only felt by witches minutes before their capture; she felt herself being forced to the ground. Amon's dark trench coat was wrapped tightly around her slender form, effectively smothering the flames as more shots rang out from Karasuma and Sakaki. The coat was taken away.

With a roar, Miro flexed his powerful wings and began to flap them in a terrible, strong pulse. Rhythmic gusts began to fill the room, accompanied by splinters and wood shards that hit the skin and burrowed deep. Clothes flapped and hair blew wild as the wind raged with ever-increasing force. Growling, Amon struggled to raise his gun arm, fighting to try and get one last shot in at Miro.

With a final shout, Miro dove down and with one fell swoop, knocked Amon through an especially large hole next to him. Twisting as he fell, the dark haired man grabbed hold of the wind that had hit him. With a grunt of surprised, the witch yanked back hard, leaving Amon with only empty air and a handful of feathers.

Later, Robin would remember that moment clearer then anything but the sight of Miro's wings. The look of pure terror in Amon's eyes and the empty air beneath him imprinted themselves on Robin's mind and remained there for many long years to come. Even as her hand reached out, the darkness of the missing floor swallowed the leader of the STN-J's witch hunting team.

It was the first and last time Robin ever saw actual fear in Amon's gaze. "Amon!"

Cries of anger and astonishment were torn from Sakaki's throat as he raised his gun once more, his last bullet glowing green as it flew through the air towards the winged witch. Karasuma's gun fired too, but by then Miro had heard the sounds and twisted body and wings into an almost impossible position.

"Damn you!" The words were blown away from the rookie's lips as once more he was slammed into the wall by a powerful gust. But Miro only laughed, and, pulling out his own gun, fired several shots in his general direction. "You cannot win when the very air you breathe is under my control." With his bullets those last words as his parting gift, Miro lifted himself back through the ceiling and disappeared from their sight.

Wit a groan, Sakaki sank to the floor, clutching his left arm. Karasuma dove and grabbed his gun just as it was about to vanish in the same manner as Amon. She looked over and saw Robin peer into the hole, then rise to her feet and turn back the way she had entered. "Be careful!" the short-haired hunter called after her retreating form.

As Robin's steps faded from her ears, Karasuma turned to Sakaki and took note of his lined face. The youth had already torn away the sleeves of his jacket and shirt and was fumbling to create a makeshift bandage. Smiling a little, Karasuma reached over and helped him, noting in the process that his wound was no more then a gouge about the length of her finger; the bullet had not lodged itself in his body.

With a silent prayer of thanks to whoever watched over them, she pulled her partner to his feet and put in call to Michael back at Raven's flat.

***

"Amon?! Amon?!" Her voice seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet stillness that cloaked the basement of the collapsing building. "Amon?!"

Shafts of light pierced the shadow, coming from the holes above. With a sigh of relief, Robin threw herself into one such beam, being careful not to land on Amon's crumpled form.

His normally pale skin looked even paler in the weak light, and Robin noticed the dark pool that had formed beneath his head. Biting her lip, she touched his forehead gently and found it cool, but not icy cold. A low gurgle escaped the fallen hunter's lips and his eyelids fluttered as if her were about to open them.

Sighing in relief yet again, Robin quickly contacted Michael on her headset, his voice the more comforting thing she thought she had ever heard in her life. "We've already sent someone out, Karasuma put in a call saying Sakaki was hurt too, so just wait a little while and someone will be there soon."

"Thanks Michael," she replied, relief evident in her voice.

"Oh and Robin?"

"Yes?"

There was a pause. "I . . . be careful, okay?" And the line went dead.

***

Well, I finally added some _real_ action!! ^-^ I know I say this **a lot** all the time, but I really do mean it: THANKS! I keep getting all this wonderful feedback and it's just amazing! What can I say, I'm inspired! ^.~

Actually, the majority of this chapter was written while I was at school today. It actually stared about halfway through my morning, in German class. My teacher was going on about something or other and I just yanked out a piece of paper and began to write. Well, needless to say it kind of got out of hand and before I knew it, I had written all throughout not only German, but LA, Study Hall, World Myth, and Math as well. ^.^;; Oops . . . I even got maybe a little over half of the _next_ chapter done.

Goes to show how boring my school is.

I cannot thank you people enough for all the things astounding things you've sent me; all I can say is, I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations! ^_^ If it's not too much trouble, please R&R again!

~SanoGirl


	7. Chapter 7

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

"Almost every rib is broken or cracked, his right arm is entirely shattered from the impact of the fall, one ankle is broken, and the shoulder of his shattered arm is sprained." The doctor's voice grew more and more grim with each passing syllable. "To top it all off, he has a concussion from where he hit his head. That was one nasty fall . . . Oh, he'll live!" he added quickly, seeing the looks of shock her was receiving from the others members of the STN-J. "But he'll take a while to wake up, not to mention recover."

The young doctor paused once again, seeming slightly puzzled. "It's amazing he lived at all . . ." he finally said. His voice was quieter, and Robin and Karasuma were having trouble figuring out if her was talking to himself or to them.

"Most people don't survive a fall of almost five stories." He turned and left the room, still muttering to himself.

Karasuma stared after him, her hands stuffed deep into the pockets of her coat. Robin stared down at the slumbering man before her, her eyes taking in the machines and the seemingly endless miles of tubes and wires hooked up to him. _He looks awful . . ._

The door opened behind her, and she turned to find Sakaki also staring at the wounded Amon. He moved to stand on the side of the bed opposite Robin, left arm wrapped in bandages to the elbow and hanging from a sling. "Shit, Amon . . ." His whisper was an echo of what they all heard in their heads.

***

Back at the STN-J headquarters, Michael was watching everything through the surveillance cameras Karasuma and Robin had so kindly set up for him. His mouth had tightened into a thing line, lips pressed together so hard that the blood flow was gone. The hands that rested above the keyboard were shaking and the frightening light that Robin had witnessed earlier burned once more in his eyes.

Doujima came up behind him, a fashion magazine in one hand and a cup of something in the other. Her eyes widened considerably. "What happened to Amon?"

Michael looked up at her sharply. He had caught the tell-tale tremor in her voice when she had said that. Turning back to the computer, he answered, "He fell . . . from nearly five stories up."

The drink fell to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere as the blonde girl's hand flew to her mouth. Neither of them made any more to pick it up as their eyes stayed riveted on the screen.

After a few minutes, the three witch hunters turned and left the hospital room as one. Michael downsized the view of Amon's room, leaving it as a little box about two inches wide I the bottom corner of his screen. Doujima sat down hard in a chair next to the hacker, her eyes still staring at the pale Amon.

The seconds dragged by like hours.

When the door to the elevator opened. And Sakaki stepped out, Doujima jumped from her chair, ran across the entire room, and flung herself into his arms (or rather, arm), surprising herself most of all. "Sakaki!"

Eyes dancing, the brunette wrapped his good arm around the shaking girl and led her out of the way, letting Robin and Karasuma step off behind him.

Robin allowed herself a small smile as she watched the two of them move off, but it faded quickly as her gaze fell upon the brooding Michael. Moving quietly, she sat down next to him with only the soft rustle of skirts to announce her presence. She laid one small hand on top of his and he glanced over at her, his gaze laced with worry as he took in her charred appearance.

"You could have been killed Robin." She noted the unsteady tone of his voice and the way his hand trembled slightly beneath her own.

"I know," was her only reply, and the two sat in comfortable silence until the room was empty and darkness painted the sky outside.

Sighing heavily, the hacker rose to stand by the window, staring up at the sliver of a moon as it ascended slowly through the sky. "I've always wanted-" he began suddenly, ". . . I've always wanted to be able to fly to the moon." He laughed softly. "Even when I was a little kid, I can remember lying out in my yard just staring at the moon and dreaming about what it was really like. . ." He trailed off and Robin moved to stand nest to him, he hand slipping into his.

It was at that moment that something unspoken passed between them. As the stars glittered like gems outside, and wisps of cloud swirled around the moon, there was a tingling in their hands, a spark that jumped from one to the other.

"I'm sorry we didn't get Miro, Michael," Robin said, casting her eyes downward.

His hand squeezed hers and she brought her eyes upwards once more, their green depths taking in the profile of his face, outlined sharply by moonlight. He looked so . . . alone. _I want to stay with him, and I want to stay with him always. Always . . ._

His other hand sought hers and he turned to face her, eyes glowing silver. "Robin I . . ." One hand came up and cupped her face in its warm palm. She nodded, understanding what it was he was trying to say.

"I want to stay with you Michael," she told him softly, taking the plunge and baring her soul to him. "I want to be with you."

Time seemed to freeze around the two STN-J members, and Robin found herself almost drowning in the computer genius's azure eyes. Here was a boy, lost and alone, who had fought to get though each day of his life, struggled with every passing moment to live on; had fought to live with memories and emotions no one should have to bear. Now she stood before him, naked in her emotions, nervous and waiting, hoping he would be able to trust once again.

A crystalline tear formed at the corner of one eye and Robin followed its progress down his smooth skin, until it fell, glistening, to the floor.

"Robin," he said in a quiet voice, thick with emotion. "Robin . . .I can offer you everything, myself, all my love, whatever it is you need, I can give it to you. But-" she caught the anguish in his voice as he turned his head away. "But I cannot offer you freedom. Not as I am now."

He hung his head as if in shame, and when he finally turned back to the blonde-haired craft-user and met her eyes, his own begged her forgiveness. _It's not fair to her. . . to ask her to stay with me and be with me when I cannot leave this building. She doesn't deserve to suffer my punishment._

But, much to his astonishment, her eyes were filled with understanding, trust, and something almost unrecognized; something murky, which tickled his memory and finally pushed its way to realization. It was love.

"It doesn't matter to me,' she told him, her own eyes brimming with tears. "I'll stay with you . . . now and always."

Biting his bottom lip, the hacker pulled her into his arms, holding her close to him as the moonlight flooded them both with its silver gleam. Looking down at her, he found her head tilted upwards, studying him.

Without really knowing what he was doing, he leaned down and gently touched his lips to hers, feeling their softness and warmth and wanting more. With a satisfied air, Robin met him with her own kiss, lips moving against his slowly.

When they finally parted, both knew that they would never again be able to live without the other. They were the suns in each other's skies and the earth beneath their feet.

"_For you are the wind beneath my wings . . ._"

***

@_@ Oh my goodness; I didn't realize I had written this much in school. Most of this chapter was written today, also. It's a miracle my grades don't suffer from all the lack of attention I give my work . . .

Anyway, I'd love to know what you guys think! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, cause they finally got to kiss! ^-^ Whoohoo! You have no idea how much I love finally having them admit they like each other and everything. It really is a wonderful moment for me. *tear tear*

R&R!

~SanoGirl

P.S. Oh, by the way. . . that last line is from a BEAUTIFUL Bette Midler song called "Wing Beneath My Wings". Standard disclaimers apply, I don't own it, blah, blah, blah. You should listen to it sometime, it's a gorgeous song and Bette Midler has one hell of a voice. ^_~


	8. Chapter 8

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

The sun shone down warm and carefree, spilling through the window of the STN-J and setting the hair of the sleeping girl on fire. It tinted the room gold, giving even inanimate objects a glow that gave them life. Warm breezes swirled through the skies, tickling clouds and playing with the birds, their breath welcome to all. But, inside the sun-warmed building, the breezes had no say; this was not their territory, it was a foreign place to them, so they stayed content to dance among the clouds.

Stirring as the bright light painted the insides of her eyelids with fire, Robin sighed softly and leaned into the warmth she knew would be right next to her, ready to protect her with comforting arms and soothing words. But it was not there; only the cool morning air met her body.

Sitting up suddenly, the fire girl gave the room a frantic look-over, searching for Michael. She stood up, muscles protesting and called out his name. No answer came. A flash of white in the corner of her eye caught her panicked gaze, and she turned, seeing a small piece of paper lying on the gray floor. Curious now, she picked it up and her heart turned over at what she saw.

"_I love you._"

With a strangled sob, she whipped around to the computer, hoping for something, for some other sign of her hacker lover. The screen was dark and the only other sign of the 16-year-old, besides a few empty wrappers, was his chain necklace. Sadly, Robin picked up the links, fingering the cold metal listlessly. Up until now, the dog-tags and chain has been a symbol of his captivity, a mark of possession by the STN-J. Up until now these pieces of metal had held the warmth of life that was Michael Lee; cold now, the symbolized nothing more then a broken promise.

Setting the necklace back down, Robin collapsed into the hacker's chair and cried as she hadn't cried in years.

***

Scratching his arm through its cushion of bandages, Sakaki stepped off the elevator with a tired moan. Rubbing his face blearily with his one good arm, he brought the other one up, running his fingers through messy brown locks and ignoring the little needles of pain that stabbed him. Dropping both hands once more, he was greeted by a very grim STN-J team.

"Something I missed?" he asked, arching one eyebrow.

"Michael's gone," Karasuma answered him tersely, her mouth tight and her eyes worried.

"He left this," Doujima chimed in, dangling Michael's "collar" off of one finger. When the injured hunter met her eyes, she quickly turned away, cheeks tinged a delicate pink.

Smirking slightly, Sakaki turned to Robin, only to have the smirk wiped clean away. The look in her eyes alone was enough to nearly knock him off his feet, let alone the way she was just sitting there, helplessly clutching a crumpled piece of paper in her hands. "Robin?" His normally indifferent tone was absent now as he took in her vacant air.

Zaizen entered the room, looking severe and slightly forbidding. His eyes were dark as he stood before the remaining members of the STN-J team and he clasped his hands behind his back. His lecturing stance was met with blank stares from all, the lack of emotion meant to hide their worry and fear at what their boss would do.

"I want you all to go on a hunt." His words surprised them all.

"A-a hunt?" Doujima asked, obviously confused.

"A hunt, but not for a witch. I want you to go on a hunt for Michael. You need to track him down and bring him back here; _at any cost!_ I will not take failure as an option." He tossed two pairs of handcuffs down on the desk, along with a tranquilizer gun.

Horrified, the team stared at him, their eyes wide.

Robin stood up, her eyes dry now, and took the necklace from Doujima. She walked over to Zaizen and, standing on tiptoes, hooked it around his neck.

Too surprised to even try and stop her, Zaizen just gaped as the short, blonde girl stepped back. "Now you know . . . what it feels like," she said quietly, turning to leave the room.

But a strong hand on her arm stopped her. "Robin." Zaizen's voice was hard, and left no room for argument. "You will go on the hunt, and you will help Karasuma, Doujima, and Sakaki find Michael. Personal feelings have no place in a job such as this, so this will be treated as another ordinary mission, and you are expected to act accordingly."

_I can't hunt Michael!_

She tried to pull her arm away, but the taller man would not let go. "Let's go." He tossed his head to Karasuma, indicating for her to take the handcuffs and gun. "Unfortunately for him, Michael left us with a pretty good idea of where he was going." Dark eyes flickered towards the computer and Robin scowled a little, annoyed with her boss's attitude.

Uncertainly, Karasuma took the objects the STN-J leader had given them and went to stand by the elevator, avoiding Robin's eyes at all costs. Bewildered, Sakaki stood there, eyes going from Zaizen, to Karasuma, to Robin, and back. Doujima stood slightly apart from him, a horrified expression still fixed on her face.

"I want you to go find him, _NOW_." It was not a request. Their boss could be very convincing when he wished, and no one dared to cross him when he gave such a direct order. Not even Amon could escape the wrath of Zaizen.

Said person tightened his grip on the youngest member of the STN-J and steered her forcefully from the room. The others followed, indecision marring their steps so that they fell unevenly and raggedly; they did not want to hunt one of their own.

***

Well, Chapter 8 is done and I'm still getting tons and tons of great comments from you guys! So here's my chapterly THANK YOU! ^_^ This is my most successful fic so far!

Once again, part of this chapter was written in school. T.T This time though, I paid a little more attention; most was done in boring Study Hall after I finished writing a note to my friend. (BTW: She has an account here too, and has just started a WHR fic of her own! Check it out, she's got some pretty good ideas for someone so lacking in brains. _Kenshin, if you're reading this… ^.^;; I LUV YA!!!_ Her account is Nightsailor and the fic is called "You Loved Me Anyway".)

More action next chappie, when Michael meets up with Miro and the hunt for him is underway! ^.^

~SanoGirl

Ugh . . . I am SO sorry about this chapter. When I first wrote it, it was later at night and I had been sitting in front of my computer for hours, so I was a little tired. And only this morning did I realize that I had put Amon in this chapter! T.T There ya have it folks, a _quick_ healer. *smacks self* I really do need to get more sleep at night . . . Once again, gomen for the mistake! (Though, in all truths, I wonder how many of you noticed… ^_~ Took me a while to remember.)


	9. Chapter 9

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

Clouds roiled overhead, growing darker by the minute and screening out the brilliant sun. The breezes had died down, and the air grew damp and hot. It was the kind of air that seemed to cling to your nostrils and clog your throat; heavy and moist, it was almost tangible. Thunder rumbled threateningly in the distance, an ancient prelude to the coming storm.

Panting a little, Michael ran down the street, outside of the STN-J building for the first time in years. He clutched a gun loaded with Orbo bullets in one hand, his normally cheerful easy-going manner was gone; mouth drawn down into a thin line, eyes bitter and angry, he ran along, taking no heed of the growing storm above.

Minutes passed and as the teenaged boy turned down a dim alley, the clouds above finally bursting, causing the rain to pour down in buckets. _Damn . . ._ Flicking dripping hair out of his eyes, he wiped his glasses off as best he could and continued running, slowing a slightly because of the weather.

Turning one final time, he came face-to-face with a small door stamped with the label, "B-684". A spark of his old determination rekindled in his eyes as he slammed one slim shoulder into the ancient door, watching as it swung noisily inward. Swinging the gun forward and resting his finger against the trigger as he had seen Amon and Sakaki do so many times, Michael took inventory of the room, noting the open door across the way that revealed a stairwell.

Seeing no sign of Miro, he kept the gun poised before him and jogged over to the steps. They creaked and shifted under his weight as he climbed higher and higher, eventually reaching another door. Taking a deep breath to calm his shaking hands, he opened the door and burst out onto the roof of the building, finger ready to fire at the slightest sign of movement.

Wariness flared up within him as he took a few steps forward, eyes scanning the empty roof.

A loud whoosh of air accompanied by the swift smack of a wing sent him sprawling onto the tiles that covered the roof. Chilling laughter froze the very marrow of his bones as he turned blue eyes slowly to view his attacker.

Miro hovered a few feet off the tiles, water dripping off his already water-logged wings. _How can he fly in this rain?!_

Growling at the mockery in Miro's tone, he swung the gun around and fired, watching as the bullet went horribly awry. The witch's laughter only doubled when he saw the bullet miss him by no less then three feet. "Stupid kid," he managed to get out around the chuckles.

Furious now, the hacker fired two more shots, watching as Miro dodged like he did the day Amon was injured. But something was not right, he only moved enough to let the bullet barely slide past him. _The rain slows him down! I bet it also impairs his ability to blow me over . . ._

With these thoughts sparking hope in his mind, Michael got up and spun around to face his mother's murderer. _My aim isn't too great, so if I can just get him in close enough to get a better shot . . ._ His brain working at lightning speed, Michael shot at Miro a few more times, not really trying hit the witch. When he was down to one last bullet, he turned once more and began to run across the slippery roof.

Miro's laughter followed him as powerful wing beats propelled him behind the boy. With a sneer, he knocked him down for the second time that day and watched with glee as the slender form went sprawling.

With a grunt, Michael fell again, his arm smashing into the rain-slicked roof with the force of a freight train. Crying out in pain, he let the gun slip from his grasp, but watched it sharply out of one eye, making sure it did not go skidding away too far. Stars danced before his eyes as the winged man alighted upon the roof and kicked him in the ribs. Wincing, he watched as Miro reached out and wrapped strong hands around his neck, putting pressure on his windpipe. "Goodbye little boy," he leered, yellow eyes dancing with scorn.

"Goodbye," Michael gasped in return, fighting the blackness that was threatening to take him over as the air was slowly squeezed out of him. He reached out one shaking hand towards the gun. Simultaneous pain hit him from both his arm and his throat, but he forced himself to keep reaching until his long fingers brushed the barrel of the firearm

He would have sighed in relief if his throat were not being crushed, but as it was, he settled for bringing the gun up and jabbing the end of it into Miro's torso. He pulled the trigger almost immediately afterwards, hoping against all hope that his fading consciousness and wavering hands hadn't betrayed him.

A look of stunned amazement registered on Miro's face as the bullet entered his body. He gasped a little as his wings drooped and fell limp against his back, their power fading with the entrance of the Orbo into his bloodstream. The dark black feathers covered him like a blanket as he stumbled back a few steps. ". . . What the . . ." he protested, meeting Michael's eyes for the final time.

"You killed my mother," he answered simply, giving into unconsciousness as the taller man toppled over on top of him.

***

Karasuma took her fingers from the open door and said quietly, "He's here alright . . ."

The four members of the STN-J team walked slowly across the room, following the path their hacker had taken less then 45 minutes ago.

Wringing the rain out of her hair, Doujima pressed in closer to Sakaki, her eyes confused and afraid. She didn't even know she was doing it, but unconsciously she was seeking her consolation from the rookie hunter.

Karasuma strode in front of the little group, having taken on the unofficial role of leader now that Amon was gone. It was not a position she desired to be in, for as leader, one could not afford to show much emotion or partiality; she was the strength and center of the group. If she failed they all failed; if she refused to hunt Michael, they all refused, and that would destroy everything they had worked for at the STN.

The handcuffs jingled loudly in her pocket and the tranquilizing gun was held ready in her hands. The brunette's mouth was clamped shut, her jaw clenched, but Robin had seen the pain and regret in her eyes.

Glancing up at the older woman once more, Robin noticed the way the gun wavered and shook in her hands. Mounting the stairs, the young witch hunter tried her best to keep her face outwardly calm, forced her hands to hold her skirts up rigidly and not twist them apprehensively.

The closer they came to the roof, the louder the rain became. At the sight of the open door, the hunters quickened their steps, Sakaki and Doujima pushing ahead to step out first with their guns held at the ready. Robin peered between them and saw the fallen Michael. "Michael!"

Pushing past the older teens, she rushed over to the heap of feathers and flesh, biting her lip as she took stock of the pale boy beneath the comatose witch.

Sakaki rushed up behind her and began yanking at Miro with his good arm, dragging him roughly off Michael by one wing. Karasuma pulled out her phone and called both the Factory and Zaizen; by the time she was done, Miro was sprawled out beside the hacker, still out cold.

Robin gently brushed the rain-soaked hair off Michael's forehead, calling his name softly. The clank of metal sounded next to her and she turned, her hands automatically taking the cuffs Karasuma thrust at her.

Seeing the blank look on her co-worker's face, Karasuma turned away sharply and said in a strained voice, "You should do it . . . he trusts you." The two others took a few steps back also and turned away, their eyes screaming the guilt they could not afford to show otherwise.

I can't do this to Michael . . . he . . . he trusts me, like Karasuma said. If I betray him like this, I don't know what will happen. I can't do this!

But she knew she had no other choice; if she took him back, there was a slight chance Zaizen would spare his life again.

If she left him here, his life would be forfeit to the STN-J.

Her mind resigned, and her heart aching, Robin tenderly took his hands in hers. His eyelids fluttered even as she reached for the handcuffs, and at the first touch of the cold metal on his skin he whispered her name. "Robin . . . ?"

"Shh . . ." she replied, hands slipping on the slick cuffs.

"Wha-what are you doing?" he asked, trying to sit up and wincing at the searing pain in his arm.

"You're hurt," she answered softly, noting his arm. There was a pause. "I have to take you back to the STN-J now." Tears fell now, intermingling with the rain on her cheeks. Her hands shook, slipping even more as she fastened the set of shackles around his feet. "I'm sorry," she whispered, avoiding his eyes.

Lucid enough now to understand what was gong on, the hacker stared up at Robin through water-streaked glasses. "Robin . . ." Betrayal and pain fought for dominance in his mind and pain won, driving deep into his soul. "Robin!"

Her heart breaking, the young girl got to her feet and fled the rooftop, refusing to look back.

Michael stared after her, his eyes haunted, until she disappeared down the stairs. His head fell back, and he dropped once more into darkness, betrayal overwhelming his dreams.

***

Well, I think it must be a world record: This chapter was written _entirely_ in school! ^-^ BWAHAHAHA! And my teachers never noticed.

The reviews keep pouring in, and I just seem to keep getting more and more inspired! You guys rock!

And yes Golden-sama, I am evil! Sorry about the cliffhanger . . . unfortunately I've got another one (sorta) in this chapter.

So, I guess that's it for now, until the next chapter!

~SanoGirl

P.S. And for all you people who so kindly told me in your reviews that you hated Zaizen, well I do too, but every story has to have SOMEone play the "bad guy". T.T I know he's evil and I know he's an "old fart" (brilliant phrase courtesy of NachoManLance ^.^) but I figured I might as well use him. Everyone can send me Zaizen bashing material if they want, I'll just laugh and join right in.


	10. Chapter 10

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

The hospital room was white and warm, and Robin felt out of place in her dark, wet dress.

She sat uneasily by the injured man, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. Most of the machines and wires were gone now, and the doctor had assured the young craft-user that Amon slept easily in the land of the living.

Nodding off, she found herself tormented by demons of her own making; several times she started awake, her stomach a churning mass of guilt.

"Robin."

The sound of her name brought her out of her latest doze. "Amon."

The dark-haired hunter stared up at the ceiling, his eyes twin pools of darkness. His hair was dark against the whiteness of the room, and what strands poked through the wrappings lay limp upon the pillow.

"You were injured badly by your fall," Robin told him to break the silence. "The doctors say you're going to be fine, but you'll need some time to recover."

But Amon merely nodded and continued to stare at the ceiling. Robin fidgeted a little as the silence grew louder and louder, only emphasized by the starkness of the room.

"When I was little, I fell three stories out of a tree," he said suddenly, speaking in the same flat, emotionless voice he used everyday. "I've been afraid of heights and falling ever since." He paused. "I want you to get Miro."

Choking back her emotions, Robin answered, "Michael already did."

"Michael?" Amon turned his head and looked at her, some bit of emotion shining through for the first time. Whether it was surprise, satisfaction, or something else, Robin couldn't tell, but she saw the spark in his eyes.

The girl nodded and explained the whole story to the fallen leader, her voice rising and falling with emotion. Amon listened impassively, inclining his head every once and a while to show his understanding. "Zaizen's a fool," he said matter-of-factly, once Robin was done. "He should know better then to hunt a cornered animal."

Robin merely looked away and stared out the window, where the rain still fell. She watched as it ran down the panes in waterfalls, washing away any dirt and grime that might have dirtied the glass. Her hands lay limply in her lap and she could feel the chill in them seeping up her arms; despite the warmth in the room. Shivering now, she pulled her damp skirts closer around her legs and glanced up to find Amon staring at her.

"Go home," he told her, looking away once more. "You're no good to the team if you're sick." He closed his eyes and Robin left the room quietly, head down. The older man heard her sneeze even through the closed door and he grimaced slightly.

"Michael . . ." he mused aloud after she had left. "Michael . . ."

***

Darkness surrounded him, dragged him down, both figuratively and literally. He closed his eyes once more, figuring there was no point in looking when there was nothing to see. Cold metal stung his wrists and he could feel the weight of the shackles around his ankles, pulling his feet down. Twisting a little, pain engulfed his arm, shooting white-hot fire through his brain. Crying out, his eyes flew open and he blinked back the tears that had formed.

Breathing heavily, he tried not to move the arm and stared off into the blackness around him. _Robin . . ._ The events of the past 12 hours flooded his head with images and emotions that threatened to bring his tears back. Snarling to himself, he clenched his teeth and tried to blank out at least the images, but he was unsuccessful.

The images of Robin prevailed over all and Michael found himself reliving the moment of their kiss over and over again. The tears burst from his invisible dam, and he cried there in the dark with his arms chained above his head.

***

The few members left of the STN-J sat in silence their shame shining through in their eyes and Doujima's tears. The chief glanced over at them and for once, wisely decided to say nothing. Their little team was falling apart.

Once they had returned to Raven's Flat with the unconscious hacker slung between Sakaki and Karasuma, Zaizen had appeared before them, eyes hard and unforgiving. He had ordered them to chain Michael in a holding cell below the tall building, and they had done so, almost vomiting with their surprised guilt.

Doujima's tears had started the moment they had begun chaining Michael to the rough stone walls, and they hadn't stopped since. Now, Sakaki reached out with his good right arm and touched her shoulder lightly, surprise showing on his face as the girl turned and buried her face in his strong chest.

He put his arm around her and glanced over at Karasuma; her dull eyes met his and fell down again to the clenched, white-knuckled hands in her lap.

Suddenly, with no warning, she stood up, grabbed her coat, and fled the room. Sakaki stared after her and sighed; he pressed his lips softly to the top of Doujima's head and ignored the tear that slipped down his own cheek.

***

No longer shivering, Robin stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She gazed into the foggy mirror with eyes turned a flat, dull, gray-green and tried to see inside herself, tried to find a reason for her madness.

She stood and stared for many long minutes before finally turning away. There was no excuse for what she had done. True, she may have saved Michael's life, but her bloody heart refused to believe that. _There must have been some other way!_

Mind still trying to rationalize the betrayal she had committed, Robin left the steamy room and entered her own. Putting on a new set of clothes, she sat down on the edge of her bed and did her best to offer up a prayer for strength and forgiveness; but the words would not come. Mute, she glanced out the window, then watched as the rain began to taper off, then stopped altogether.

Getting up, she left the room and slipped into her coat and shoes, closing the front door quietly behind her. No need to worry Touko.

Approaching her vespa, she glanced up at the sky and saw that the clouds were beginning to dissipate. It was the first good thing to happen to her all day.

***

Zaizen sat in his office, a pungent cigar hanging from his lips and smoking a thin stream of smoke into the air above him. One hand came up and fingered the chain links still hanging from his neck; the other drummed its fingers on his desk.

_Now you know . . . what it feels like . . ._ Robin's voice rang in his mind even as her slim form stepped timidly into his office. He glanced up at her, and the lines around his mouth softened a little. But not much. "Robin?"

"Sir, I'd . . . I'd like to speak with you." Even her voice was hesitant.

The imposing boss of the STN-J beckoned her forward and extinguished his cigar, the hand on the chain lowering itself discreetly to the desk. She stopped in front of his desk, right in his line of vision, and looked him straight in the eye. "I must ask you to spare Michael's life." There was no pleading in her voice, no begging tone, just a simple, urgent need.

He stared at her, surprised to say the least. The man had expected some form of protest, but not like this. He had been expecting begging, screaming, pleading, anything but the simple question of the young woman now standing before him. Zaizen was shocked.

So shocked in fact, that consequently, he stared at Robin for at least a full minute before her restless shifting brought him back down to earth. "You want me to let Michael live?" he asked, wanting to make sure he had heard right.

Robin nodded. "His mother was murdered by that witch, sir! That was the only reason he left. Michael's loyal to the STN-J, he would never do anything that would put us in danger."

Zaizen's eyes widened a little at the part about Michael's mother; he hadn't known that. Still . . . it was no excuse for the way the boy had acted.

Sighing, he rubbed his temples and breathed deeply through his nose. "But the fact remains, Robin, that Michael left this building, which he is forbidden to do. I spared him his life earlier, but only after he promised to never leave here again. He has broken that trust, and he deserves to be punished. I cannot afford to let him get away with this."

"But it was for his mother sir!" Robin's stubborn nature was beginning to kick in. "He wasn't doing anything wrong by wanting to avenge his mother, was he? He didn't do anything illegal or sell information or-"

She was cut off by her boss's waving hand. "I get the picture," he said, voice carefully neutral. He sighed once more and swiveled in his chair to look out the window, where sunshine was once more streaming in. He was quiet for so long that Robin thought he had forgotten about her.

But finally, "I will let Michael live, but-" He raised a hand with the first finger raised in the air, "under one condition! If Michael ever leaves this building again, _ever_, he will die. No questions asked, no explanations or second chances. Understood?"

Eyes shining Robin nodded, then realizing he couldn't see her, answered, "Yes sir!" She spun around to go find the hacker, but Zaizen's voice called out and halted her search.

"I will get him . . . there are things I need to speak with him about." The harsh tone had returned to the tall man's voice and he brushed past the shorter girl without a second glance, disappearing into the lower levels of the building. She shivered at his tone and spared a second of worry for Michael then stopped that line of thought. Everything was going to be fine.

Walking on air, Robin joined Sakaki and Doujima in their main working area and found the two talking quietly in low voices, their faces very close together.

Upon noticing her presence, Doujima let out a little sound, almost like a squeak, and jumped back about five feet from Sakaki, who only looked at Robin in wry amusement. But the amusement faded quickly, dampened, like everything else, by the reality of Michael's dire situation. All of the team knew their guilt would never fully diminish, they would regret their actions to their dying days, but afterwards it would no longer rule their minds and hearts as it did now.

"Why are _you_ so happy?" Doujima asked, her eyes red and her cheeks still glimmering faintly. "You of all people!"

But Robin only sat next to her and replied, "Michael's not going to die."

Two pairs of relived eyes turned to focus on her and she saw their faces light up just like hers. "He's-" Doujima began.

"He's gonna live!" Sakaki shouted. He jumped up from his chair and let out a loud whoop, running over to the chief with the news, trying to be as annoying as possible.

Doujima's tears flowed once more, but this time they were tears of happiness and respite. She reached out and hugged Robin, then grabbed the phone, presumably to call Amon at the hospital and tell him the good news.

Robin sat back in her chair and watched the suddenly bustling office with only a trace of her former guilt registering in her eyes. Michael was going to live.

***

WOW! This is my longest chapter yet. It's five pages! I've finally figured out how I'm going to end this, but I will say there's going to be at least a few more chappies before that sad day comes. ^_~

Yes Qui-ti, I read the FAKE mangas, and I love them TO DEATH! It's the funniest series I have ever read in my life and I worship Sanami Matoah's art. It's gorgeous, for lack of a better word.

I loved all the comments on how evil Zaizen is . . .

Keep up the reviews! I thank you all for the millionth time!

~SanoGirl


	11. Chapter 11

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

Michael had lost the feeling in his arms a long time ago; even the tingling feeling that told him the blood flow had stopped was gone now, replaced by a cool numbness that engulfed his body from the shoulders upwards. His head was down, resting on the slim chest that rose and fell raggedly with each shuddering breath. He was glad for the lack of feeling in his arms, otherwise his shattered right arm would be hurting like hell right now.

He had grown accustomed to the darkness now, so that it did not seem so dark, but even his sharp eyes still couldn't pick out anything. The hacker had tried turning himself around to see if there was anything behind him, but his arm had crackled in a dangerous sort of way so he had aborted that little mission and remained as he was.

Now there was nothing left to do but wait, wait for someone to remember about him. . . wait for someone to come and kill him. For Michael knew what he had done and he knew what the consequences were; despite this, he had no feelings of regret. He had avenged his mother and now the factory had taken Miro away.

The only thing that needled his mind still was Robin and she . . .

The door to his cell burst open, flooding him with a bright light that blinded him and forced his eyes shut. He turned his head away a little and listened as the sound of heavy footsteps grew closer and eventually stopped before him.

Picking his head back up, he tried to open his eyes and see who it was that had come to kill him. The light made his eyes hurt and he closed them until they were almost shut, catching a glimpse of his boss through slitted eyes.

"You're not going to die," were Zaizen's first words. Michael's heart lifted a little at that, but then fell again when he realized the intolerant tone in the man's voice. "Robin asked for your life to be spared and told me your mother was killed by that _witch._" He spat the last word, as if it fouled his mouth just to say it.

Michael nodded, his eyes able to open a little more now. "But from now on, I don't care if the witch kills Amon, kills Robin, kills me, kills anyone! You are _forbidden_ to leave again! One more step outside of this building and you will die. No questions asked and certainly no time for explanations. Do I make myself clear?"

_Robin . . . Robin asked for my life?_ His mind spun at Zaizen's words. _But she was the one that . . ._

He nodded at his boss's words and watched as the man turned around to go. "I will send someone down to get you," he told the boy in a flat tone that reminded Michael of Amon.

Once the man was gone, the orange-haired boy let his head fall back down to his chest and breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't going to die. He must have a guardian angel after all. He winced as his shoulder twitched and sent a spasm up his arm. Maybe he could get Karasuma to splint his arm or something.

Footsteps sounded again and he glanced up, hope shining in his azure eyes; someone was here to free him. Eagerly he watched as a slender form entered his cell, wearing dark clothes and carrying the keys to his bonds in one hand.

Robin stepped forward a few steps more and looked at Michael. _Michael . . ._ She held up the keys and watched as a veil drew over his eyes and his face went blank. He turned his head away and Robin saw the blood on the left side of his face. Her heart cried out and tears began forming in her eyes. _This is all my fault. . ._

She took one of his wrists in her hand to undo the lock, and jumped a little as his breath hissed through clenched teeth. Glancing up at the arm, she saw the odd shape it was bent into and winced. He would need a doctor. Being as gentle as she could, she undid his handcuffs and lowered his arms slowly to his sides.

Moving down to his feet, she unlocked his shackles also, then rose to stand before him. "Michael, I-" But he merely cradled his shattered right arm in his left and limped past her, his entire body sore. "Michael!" She fell to her knees in the chill cell, watching as his retreating form disappeared down the hall leading to the upper levels of the STN-J.

***

Doujima fidgeted; Robin had gone down to Michael's cell several minutes ago and still there was no sign of the hacker. Sakaki laid a hand on her arm and she stilled, shooting him an annoyed glance. He merely smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. Doujima had always found it hard to stay annoyed for long with the rookie hunter.

Karasuma reentered the room, her face flushed and her breath heaving through tired lungs. She tossed her coat down and strode over to join Sakaki, Doujima, and the Kosaka as they sat and waited not so patiently for Michael.

"I told Amon," she said in a winded voice. They had called Karasuma's phone and found her at the hospital visiting with their injured leader. She had rushed back at once when she heard of Michael's miracle and was now fidgeting like Doujima.

Shuffling steps were heard and then the slim form they had all been waiting for crossed the threshold into the room, his head down and one arm clutched close by the other. With a gasp, Doujima ran forward with the others, immediately demanding to know what was wrong.

Michael looked up at the onslaught of sudden attention and smiled as best he could. "Nothing . . . I just hurt my arm," he replied in answer to Doujima's question.

"Nothing?!" Karasuma exclaimed, gingerly pulling his arm away from his body. "It looks broken to me. We'll need to get you a doctor."

"I'll go call one up right now," Chief Kosaka announced, actually being helpful for once.

"So I guess he's not all full of hot air like we thought," Sakaki muttered quietly to the others once the balding man had moved away.

Doujima stifled giggles and smacked his arm lightly; Karasuma only gave him a wry grin and led the exhausted teen away, setting him down on one of the couches. "Where's Robin?" Doujima asked, suddenly noticing that the other blonde girl wasn't with them.

All eyes immediately went to Michael and he shrugged, eyes flat and emotionless. Karasuma caught this, but decided not to push the matter any further for the moment; what mattered now was that they got Michael a doctor.

Michael stared down at the floor, his heart in pieces and listened to all the noise and hustle around him with muffled ears. Black skirts appeared in his line of vision and he looked up, eyes meeting Robin's red-rimmed ones. She looked down at him, seeming to be considering something, then sat next to him.

The others all moved away a little, pretending to be occupied with something else, giving the two some room to talk and work things out.

"Michael, I-" Robin started again.

But he cut her off with a grimy finger held in front of her lips. "Don't." His voice was thick with penned up emotion and his throat could barely get the words out. "I know you had to." His eyes swept away from her face once more and she bit her lip; seeing him in this much pain, both physically and emotionally, was hurting her just as much as it was hurting him.

"I'm sorry Michael," she whispered and touched the bloody side of his face with extreme care, her smooth fingertips gently caressing his skin. He drew a shuddering breath and refused to look at her for many more long moments.

He met her gaze then, and in that split second, Robin saw a deep, lingering ache overshadowed by a confused cloud of forgiveness and hope. "Just promise me, promise me that-" His voice broke again and she reached out and put her arms around his fatigued body, pulling him close.

"I won't ever leave you, Michael," she whispered and placed a soft kiss on his ear.

With a tired sigh, he nodded and closed his eyes, falling into a deep, healing sleep in the craft-user's arms. The others glanced over with knowing smiles and exchanged knowing glances. They left the two alone until the doctor arrived and then separated them with veiled regret.

It seemed things were going to be okay, but little did any of them know that this was just the eye of the storm. Little did they know that the worst was yet to come.

***

I'm proud to say that this chapter _wasn't_ written at school! I wrote this entire chapter at home, on my computer! ^.^

I now have over 100 reviews and I am stunned by all the positive messages I get from everyone! I am so glad you all like this story, and I can only say I hope you'll see it through to the end.

Oh, and Mr. Kanno, it's ok . . . I'm in love with several anime characters, so you're not alone. ^_~

R&R!!!

~SanoGirl


	12. Chapter 12

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

"I did not!"

"You did too!"

"I did _not_, Sakaki and you know it!"

"Yes, you _did_!"

Groaning, he rolled over and opened his eyes, matching voices and faces as he blearily tried to remember where he was. Doujima and Sakaki did not seem to notice him, for the moment anyway, and their petty argument only escalated in volume. "For the _last_ time, I did not-"

"Ugh, you two at it again?!" The arrival of an annoyed Karasuma brought the fight to a screeching halt. "We've got work to do today, so please save the love spats for your off time, ok?" She shook her head at the two younger people and went over to the meeting room.

Glaring daggers at each other, Sakaki and Doujima followed her, still not paying any attention to Michael. Said person tried to roll over and sit up, but a sudden lance of pain in his arm forced him back down. "Be careful with that arm of yours," said a soft, familiar voice next to him. He looked up, to see Robin giving his arm a concerned look and biting her lip.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he told her, attempting to sit up once again, this time avoiding putting pressure on his arm. "The doctor put it in a cast last night after taking me to the hospital, so I'll be fine now, see?" He pulled the sleeve of his shirt up enough to show off the white plaster covering his arm, then looked up and smiled at her. A visible weight lifted from her shoulders , and her own mood lightened.

With a small smile of her own, Robin placed one of her hands over his. "Michael." Both looked up, startled.

Zaizen towered over them, his face impassive. His hands reached up to his neck, and it was then that Michael realized his dog tags were dangling from his boss's neck. Unhooking the clasp, Zaizen brought the metal links back down to Michael's neck and secured them in their place once more. "Now get in there and do your job."

The hacker's head fell to his chest and when he glanced at Robin, she saw the ache and the shame in his eyes. But then he stood, gripping Robin's hand tightly, and strode past Zaizen, his head held high. A proud light kindled in the craft-user's eyes and she knew that the old Michael they all knew and loved was back.

"Ok guys," he said, joining the rest of his coworkers. "Let me take a look at my files and we'll see what we've got." He took his place in front of his customary computer, and Robin sat next to him; she noted, with some amusement, that Sakaki and Doujima were also sitting together, their hands clasped under the table. Occasionally, Doujima would pull her fingers away and stroke the bandages still wrapped around the lower half of his arm.

Karasuma caught the direction of the girl's gaze and gave her a wry smile.

The rapid clicking of keys halted and a low whistle issued forth from the hacker's mouth. It appeared that even with only one hand to type with, he could still manage better then any of them could. All heads immediately turned to face in his direction. "What is it?!" exclaimed Sakaki, and a few moments later, two windows popped up on each of the team members' screens.

Doujima gasped aloud, but the others could only stare in horror at the picture before them.

"That would be the victim," Michael pointed out needlessly.

"What…what happened to him?" Sakaki asked in a choked voice.

"Avi Yusanada. He's 28 years old and he possess the power of the void."

"A void?" Robin asked wonderingly.

"Like a vacuum." But it was Karasuma who answered, her eyes skimming the article that accompanied the picture on their computers.

"Right," Michael answered. "The victim was a male also, unidentified as of yet. If you notice, it appears he has collapsed in on himself, almost as he was dried out from the inside out."

His blunt observation was met with disgusted looks from all around. "Such is the power of the void or vacuum that Avi possess. His ability to create a void around a human being at any given moment makes him more dangerous then the STN had originally predicted. He could suck the life from some one within less then a minute. On the other hand, if the void were to be punctured, its effects would immediately diminish and the person trapped would be able to survive."

"What do you mean by puncturing the void?" Doujima asked, her pretty face twisted into a confused scowl.

"Well, think of the void as a giant balloon surrounding a person. If something were to hit the surface, oh say, a bullet from a gun, it would pop much like balloon, allowing air to reach the trapped person. Even so-" he addressed the entire team this time, "the void is not something to be taken lightly. Even a few seconds in there could cause permanent damage to your brain, or other internal organs."

Karasuma nodded, saying nothing, but her eyes were troubled and everyone knew what she was thinking because they were thinking it too. _If only Amon were here._

But she stood up and her posture was rigid and her face was determined. "Michael, you know his location right? You can track him?" Her voice was crisp and self-assured, though her eyes still screamed insecurity and fear. But, as the team's new leader, she quickly smothered that fear and hid it from her colleagues.

"Of course I can!" Michael exclaimed, sounding slightly put out.

Robin smiled and laid one hand on his arm. Quieting, he glanced over at her and gave her a sheepish smile. She then got up and followed the others from the room. "-be our watch dog," Karasuma was saying. "I know that it's your left arm that's hurt, but I don't want you getting into any situations that will further risk the safety of the team."

"Yes ma'am," the rookie replied, only a slight trace of mockery in his tone. Karasuma smiled a little and moved away to talk with Michael, presumably about Avi's whereabouts. Glancing down at his arm, he saw Doujima rest her hand there, and brought his eyes back up to meet hers. "Listen to her . . . I don't want anything to happen to you," she told him firmly, then quickly looked away as the bridge of her nose was stained a delicate pink.

Sakaki grinned at her embarrassment and put his good hand under her chin, turning her head back to face him. "I'll be careful, I promise," he told her sincerely, then touched his lips to hers.

Robin looked away from the two hunters and found Michael watching her with a sardonic smile playing about his lips. Karasuma rummaged in her pocket and pulled out her headset, slipping it around her head with a crisp jerk. "Ready Robin?" She left the room without waiting for an answer, just like Amon would have done.

Robin moved to follow the older woman, but was stopped by an arm slipping itself around her slender waist. Turning, she found her face inches away from Michael's and she smiled as he brushed a lock of her hair out of her eyes. "Be careful Robin," he said quietly. "_Please_ be careful . . . I'd never be able to forgive myself if you were killed by a witch . . ." The unsaid "also" hung in suspended in the air between them.

"I'll be back Michael," the blonde-haired hunter reassured him. She put her arms around his shoulders and hugged him; his own arm tightened around her in response as his lips brushed her face. Karasuma's call tore her from his embrace and she left the room in a swirl of skirts. Sighing, Michael left also, sitting himself back down in front of his computer and flexing the fingers on his good hand tiredly. _Note to self: next time, injure leg instead._

***

Yay, I get to write another witch hunt next chapter! ^.^ Sorry this part was a little slower in coming out; I've been busy lately and I probably won't update tomorrow cause…IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!! *dances around*

Anyway, even though this has nothing to do with Witch Hunter Robin, I'm going to mention the fact that Saiyuki is my latest obsession. And Gojyo . . .oh my Lord, don't even get me started. I'm already bidding on a Saiyuki poster on E-bay, never mind the fact that I only became obsessed this week. ^.^

Speaking of E-bay, I'm ALSO bidding on a Witch Hunter Robin T-Shirt! *does another happy dance* I mean, it doesn't matter that I'll be in debt to my dad for like a month, as long as I have the shirt!!! -__-;; Yea, I'm insane, so what? I guess you kinda have to be when you're as into anime as I am . . .

That's enough of my babbling for this chapter. R&R!

~SanoGirl


	13. Chapter 13

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

Grunting, Amon tried to sit up in his bed, and managed to get halfway up before his shattered ribcage stopped him. Face twisting in pain, he fell back to the bed and lay there with his eyes closed, watching the fireworks on the insides of his eyelids.

This wasn't going well. His head felt as if it were being repeatedly hit with a ten-pound weight, and he couldn't even feel his right arm. At this rate, it seemed as if it would be years before he ever got back on the job.

Muttering curses to himself, he forced his broken body up, using his good arm for leverage and blocking his mind against the pain in his head. Groaning, he propped himself up against the many pillows and headboard of the hospital bed, panting from an open mouth.

"_Damn…_"

Still breathing heavily, he snatched up his phone from where it rested on the bedside table and dialed the familiar number. A familiar voice answered when the ringing stopped and a little of the weight and worry on the dark hunter's soul lifted.

"I wouldn't try that too often if I were you," Michael said, having seen the entire thing from his video surveillance cameras.

"Michael," Amon answered, ignoring the younger boy's matter of fact tone. "What happened with Miro?"

There was no answer from the hacker, just the sound of his breathing. "Michael, what happened? Robin said you took down Miro."

A choked sound then floated over the phone line into the older man's ear and he waited mutely, understanding a little of what must have been running through Michael's head. "I went after him and I shot him." His voice was flat and unemotional.

"I see," was the only answer the hospitalized man gave; he did not ask for any explanations or justifications, he just accepted the facts.

Harsh breathing that almost matched his own continued to sound in his ear until finally it was replaced by Michael's voice once more. "I left the STN-J building to shoot Miro because he murdered my mother. My mother died several years ago, I just never knew how. The cops found her on the street and told me she had either been mugged or hit by a car. But he killed her! For no reason! I _had_ to go after him! I _had_ to!"

Amon nodded to himself and continued to say nothing, waiting to see if the boy was done venting yet.

"Damn, Amon…I shot him…I shot him. And now if I ever leave the building again Zaizen swears he's going to have me killed."

Michael sighed loudly and the slow clicking of keys could be heard in the background. Amon wondered at this, but said nothing.

"Look, Amon, I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to hang up now. The others are out on a hunt and I need to be able to contact them."

"All right. I'll be back to work as soon as I can." The injured man hung up the phone and set it back in its place, slumping back into the pillows exhaustedly. The pale morning sun shone in through his window and flowed over his battered form like water, coloring the yards of bandages gold and the blood stains a putrid orange.

***

"Miss Karasuma, where are you now?" The headset on Sakaki's head crackled a little bit and he listened closely for the older woman's response.

"I'm pretty deep into the walled city…see anything out there? Anybody?"

"Nothing," the rookie answered in a bored tone, glancing down at his bandaged arm with a scowl. "Damn thing…" he muttered to himself. A dry chuckle sounded in his ear.

"At least you get to be out there," Michael told him, obviously having heard his frustration. "In the sun…and the air…" He trailed off and the other teen wasn't quite sure of how to answer, so he merely resumed his observation of the road into and out of the walled city, sharp eyes alert and sparkling in the dim sunlight.

Michael stared out the window at the STN-J building; he touched his shattered right arm and sighed. It had been so long since he had been outside, and that brief taste, even though it had been of rain and wind, had made him long for the outside world more then ever.

There was only one thing that was keeping him from leaving the building once again despite Zaizen's orders, and that was Robin. He had made her promise to come back alive, and it was only fair that he do the same for her and be here when she returned. He let the weak sunlight imprint itself on his eyelids, then turned back to the computer screen.

Files and pictures floated in their respective windows and he frowned at them, studying the words and images intently; there was something…something not right here. The base of his neck tingled and his entire body seemed to tremble with an almost imperceptible foreshadowing. What was it?!

Hefting his plaster cast up to the desktop, Michael stretched out his right fingers and ignored the pain lancing up his arm as his fingers flew over the keys like they once had. His headphones lying forgotten beside him, Michael was able to hear the rhythmic sound of his typing, and he only wished it were faster.

It was not often that he got a premonition like this, but when he did, it always meant something. And this time, it was a big something.

***

Bored almost to the point of tears, Sakaki glanced in both directions down the street one final time and then proceeded to slump up against the wall and slide to the ground. Nothing was going to happen out here, all the action was inside the walled city, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Slamming his fist against the ground, the rookie cursed everything in existence, and, feeling slightly better, glanced up again to see a stocky figure walking down the street towards him. On the alert now, he jumped up and slid one hand inside his jacket to rest comfortably against the Orbo gun.

The figure kept on advancing towards him, head down, and hands in pockets. There almost seemed to be an aura about him, a ripple in the air that shimmered around him like heat in the desert. Curious rather then scared, Sakaki whispered into his headset. "_There's someone here Miss Karasuma…_"

"Well, we're coming out anyway," the woman answered.

"There's nobody in here!" Doujima's high-pitched whine joined Karasuma's voice and Sakaki smiled to himself; she sounded exactly as he had only moments ago.

But the smile was wiped clean off his face as a dark, shimmering bubble formed around his left arm, encompassing the entire limb up to the shoulder. With a cry of outrage and excruciating pain, he sprawled on the ground, his arm flung out wide from the rest of his body.

"…_Puncture it_…"

Michael's voice exploded in his mind like fireworks against a dark sky, and the teen brought out his Orbo gun, aiming a bullet at the void around his arm. He fired, and the void immediately dissipated with a hissing sound, reliving the pressure on Sakaki's already injured arm.

Gasping, he brought the gun up and aimed it at the man that could only be Avi Yusanada and fired the rest of his bullets, pain clouding his mind and skewing his aim.

Avi laughed and another void encompassed the rookie, this time around his entire body. Suddenly breathless, Sakaki tried to inhale, and felt his lungs collapse in on themselves. His head felt as if it was being crushed beneath an entire building, and his eyes bulged, about to burst from their sockets.

Flames exploded around him and blocked Avi from view, licking at the void as if it were dry wood. Air instantly flowed washed over Sakaki's limp form and swelled his lungs. Heaving with the sudden desire for oxygen, he tried to get up, then felt his world go black, and fell back to the pavement.

Robin watched him faint and turned back to the witch before her. But he was gone.

A determined look on her face, the young girl charged off down the street, her skirts billowing out behind her.

"Sakaki!" came Doujima's cry from behind her, and soon the sound of footsteps joined hers. Robin glanced over to see Karasuma running beside her, gun clutched tightly in her hand.

Doujima watched them go, the fainted hunter's head resting in her lap. A light stirring and a quiet moan brought her attention back to her injured friend and she yanked out her phone, casting worried looks at Sakaki's crushed arm as she did so.

Blood seeped from it like water from a sponge, and as she frantically relayed what had happened to Michael, Doujima ripped his shirt and jacket to pieces, binding the limb up as best she could.

Moaning louder now, Sakaki's eyes flew open and his eyes rolled back into his head until only the whites showed. Frightened, Doujima took his head in her hands and held him still as he tried to thrash about, so agonizing was the pain in his arm.

Meanwhile, Robin and Doujima turned down a smaller alleyway, only to run into a solid brick wall. Whirling around to continue their search, they found themselves face-to-face with Avi, who laughed and pointed. A large airless pocket suddenly surrounded the two women and both felt much like Sakaki had, their bodies pounding and their chests contracting painfully.

Two shots rang out from behind the laughing witch and his voids burst, releasing the trapped hunters. Doujima stood at the entrance to the alley, her gun held at the ready and her face grimly set.

Looking back and forth from woman to woman, Avi's laughter only increased and one of his voids sprang up around Doujima's hand, encompassing her gun and wrist also.

"This is not the last you'll see of me, I promise you." His voice was low and harsh as he walked by the gasping Doujima. "I will take my revenge for my brother's death, trade a life for a life."

"Why yes!" he exclaimed, seeing the shocked look on Doujima's face. "You killed my brother." He laughed again and strode past her, stout form moving quickly. "You will regret your actions."

Growling, Doujima snatched up a broken bottle lying by the entrance to the alley and pierced the void about her hand, sighing with satisfaction when it dissipated. Sirens sounded in the distance, and she decided to give in to the darkness and let the paramedics and the police take care of the rest.

And so she joined the rest of her team in the land of unconsciousness, Avi's laughter still ringing loudly in her ears.

***

Well, I got my poster off of E-bay. ^.^ Wow, I'm just loving Saiyuki more and more as time goes on. I did not, however, manage to get the Witch Hunter Robin T-shirt…oh well, my dad got me an Inuyasha one for my birthday. Which was wonderful by the way; thank you all for the messages and reviews! ^_~ R&R!!

~SanoGirl


	14. Chapter 14

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

Every swear word he knew flew through his mind as he took stock of the situation. Every member of the team besides him was currently in the hospital, some more seriously injured then others. _Robin!_ She had promised she would return, come back to him. Michael pulled up the view of her hospital room and watched as her slender form lay limply in the bed, chest rising and falling shallowly, but evenly.

The void was more dangerous then any of them had predicted.

A soft swoosh alerted him to the fact that someone had entered the room from the elevator. Glancing up, he caught sight of Doujima as she walked tiredly over to where was he seated. Her right hand and wrist were wrapped completely in white medical bandages, and she was careful not to put the slightest pressure on it as she sat down next to the hacker.

"How are the others?" she asked, voice still shaking slightly with the day's earlier events.

Michael shook his head, orange locks flying. "I don't know. Robin's the only one who's got a camera in her room, thanks to you. I haven't even been able to discover where Miss Karasuma is yet and Sakaki…" he hesitated.

"What?!" the blonde girl asked, her voice rising an octave in pitch.

The hacker shifted uncomfortably; he hated being the bearer of bad news. "He's…he's in surgery right now. For his arm."

Choking back the exclamation of fright that rose in her throat, Doujima rose from her seat and flew towards the elevator she had stepped off only moments before. Sighing, Michaal turned back to his computer and checked up on Robin once more before continuing to try and locate Miss Karasuma.

Robin would be fine, or so he had heard. Since she had only been inside the airless bubble for such a short amount of time, no major damage had been inflicted. The hacker could only assume that the brunette woman would be the same since they had been entrapped and released at the same time.

After a few more minutes of sorting through the hospital's records he found her in a room down the hall from Robin's. He did not have a camera in her room, but he hacked into the hospital's security system and managed to catch a glimpse of her pale, but otherwise intact form through the window in her door.

Satisfied, he returned to the records and searched now for Sakaki; Robin stirred and awakened in the window at the bottom of his screen and he smiled. After another half hour, he found that Sakaki's operation was finished and he was now being taken to a regular room such as Robin's and Karasuma's.

Nodding to himself, the hacker leaned back in his chair and gave his aching right arm a break; he'd have to try and manage one-handed for a while now.

***

Frantic, Doujima burst through the hospital's doors and ran straight up to the reception desk, hair streaming out behind her.

"Haruto Sakaki!" she demanded breathlessly.

Blinking, the nurse turned to her computer and said a few seconds later, "Third floor, room C343. But-"

Without waiting to hear what else the woman would say, Doujima sprinted for the elevator and punched the up button. Her hands twisted and untwisted themselves the entire way up, and when the doors finally opening with a ding, she tore off once more, almost knocking over a middle-aged couple waiting to step into the elevator car.

Tossing a "Sorry!" over her shoulder, she slowed a little to read the numbers as they flashed by on either side of her. C327…C333…C341…C343! Breathless, she flung open the door and rushed to Sakaki, throwing herself onto her knees by his side.

As her eyes took in the sight before her, they filled with tears and she began to sob, horrified by his condition. Poor Sakaki… Tears coursed down her cheeks in twin rivers and she rested her forehead on the empty mattress space in front of her, feeling a slight stirring as she did so.

"D-Doujima?" came the hoarse whisper.

Her head snapped up and she met a pair of dark, unfocused eyes. A pained chuckle escaped his lips and he asked, "Why the tears?"

Biting her lip, she couldn't stop her eyes from straying down to his damaged area, fresh tears appearing as she realized he didn't know.

Confused, Sakaki's eyes followed her and alighted upon the empty sleeve of his hospital gown. An empty sleeve…

Eyes widening, the rookie met Doujima's eyes once more, and this time his eyes radiated hysteria. "What happened to my arm?! Where's my arm?!"

Doujima sobbed even louder and touched his cheek with one finger, but he jerked his head away and turned it so that he was facing away from her. "Sakaki-"

"Go away," he answered, voice dead.

"But-"

"I said, get the hell away from me!"

Her entire body trembling, Doujima rose to her feet and walked backwards out of the room, her blue eyes lingering on the crippled form. Bumping into the door, she turned the knob and finally tore her gaze away, refusing to look back after that.

Her tears continued all the way back to the STN-J.

***

Rubbing his eyes exhaustedly, Michael slumped back in his chair and cradled his arm to his chest. All he had been able to find out was that Sakaki was going to live, no other information had been provided. He had quit in frustration, and after another check on Robin, decided to call it a day. It was getting late after all, and he was worn out, both physically and mentally.

The elevator swished again and he stood up, prepared to tell whomever it was to go home. Doujima's tear-stained face appeared and stepped towards him, eyes pained. "Doujima? What happened?"

"Sakaki," was all she could get out.

"He's going to be fine," the hacker reassured her. "I looked him up and he's-"

"They amputated his arm!" she burst out, cutting him off. "They amputated his left arm!"

Shocked, Michael took a step backwards and fell again into his chair. "Amputated…" he murmured in a dazed voice.

The sun was setting outside and it bathed the room in red, reminding the two occupants only of all the blood they had seen shed in the past week or so. All the warmth was gone from the crimson rays and they slowly faded as the hours diminished, leaving the room in shadowed darkness.

Sniffling, Doujima turned to go and felt Michael's good arm slip around and squeeze her shoulders in a comforting hug. She turned around and hugged him back, understanding and a friendly sense of comfort passing between them.

Stepping back, the blonde hunter gave the other a small smile and left work for the final time that day, her tears finally starting to dry on her cheeks. Things would look better after a night of sleep. They always did.

***

Well, I know I'm going to be getting a lot of comments about this chapter…Just please be nice! . I'm already almost drowning in my own runny nose, so please don't make things worse! (Ew…that was kinda gross…^_~)

~SanoGirl


	15. Chapter 15

*sighs* I wasn't too happy with the way this chapter originally came out; I was working fast cause my mom was threatening to kick me off the computer and I think that, all in all, it was rushed and WAY too long. So I made an executive decision and took it down, deciding instead to split it into two parts and rewrite the final witch hunt for Avi entirely.

So, sorry about this, but I honestly think I could have done better. I've learned my lesson. *bows* GOMEN!

***

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

The stars came out one by one, and as they did, the teen counted them, at least the precious few that showed through the small window in his room. Sighing softly, Sakaki turned away from the window and for the millionth time that day, looked down at the limp sleeve of his hospital gown, despair floating in the dark depths of his eyes.

At least it's my left arm… 

His ever-optimistic spirit somehow managed to find the bright side of the matter, but his anguished mind wouldn't acknowledge it, no matter how much he tried. The drugs that had kept him only halfway lucid had now started to fade away, and as they did so, a dull ache grew in his left shoulder where his left arm had once been.

Grimacing, he twisted his shoulders and tried to get more comfortable on the stark hospital bed. A soft knock sounded on his door and his eyes snapped towards it as it slid quietly open. Shrinking back into his pillows and blankets, Sakaki watched as the slender form closed the door silently behind it and advanced towards his bed.

Pushing himself up with his good arm, the rookie leaned forward and squinted into the gloom, knowing a nurse would not have bothered with all the knocking and such. Who could possibly…?

"Robin?!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper.

Stepping into the square of moonlight that shone in from his window, Robin nodded and leaned against the wall, her entire body shaking visibly. Sitting up fully, Sakaki moved to one side of his bed and patted the now free space, motioning for her to sit down. "What happened?" he asked her.

But she did not hear him, for her eyes were locked upon his side. "Sakaki! Your arm!"

"I know," he answered flatly, turning his head away to look out the window.

"…" Robin was silent for a moment before adding gently, "At least it was only your left arm, and not your gun arm."

Turning back around, Sakaki stared at the young witch hunter and as he did so, he felt a lightening in his soul, a lifting of the heavy weight that had settled there once he had discovered he was short one limb. His optimism had been telling him this same thing for the past few hours, but somehow, hearing it from another person solidified it, made it true.

"I know," he answered her. "I'm lucky I guess. But what happened to you and Miss Karasuma? And what about Doujima?"

Robin proceeded to inform him that she and Karasuma were going to be all right, and could probably go home tomorrow. Doujima, she told him, had already left, her hand being the only thing that was injured, and that only slightly. Sakaki breathed a sigh of relief and ran his remaining set of fingers through his hair.

"You'll be able to leave soon too," Robin added. "As soon as the doctors are sure your arm will heal properly."

Sakaki nodded and thanked her for coming to tell him all these things. "I was worried…" he admitted, trailing off.

But the blonde-haired hunter only smiled a secret sort of smile and got up to leave again, bidding him goodnight. He watched her go, propping herself up with the wall every step of the way. Settling back against his pillows, he closed his eyes and let himself drift off into sleep, thoughts of Doujima skittering across his mind.

***

The next day, Robin and Karasuma were released from the hospital with instructions to rest a lot and do nothing more strenuous then eat meals and watch TV. Nodding, the two women promised they would stay home for the next few days, but inside, both knew this was virtually impossible.

With Amon out for many months to come, Doujima minus her gun hand, and Sakaki minus one arm, both knew that the STN-J needed all the help it could get right now. Both were still less then halfway back to their usual potential, but neither planned on spending more then one or two days at home. Forget the fact that their bodies had been nearly crushed to death, they knew what they had to do.

Sakaki watched them get into the cab that would take them to their homes and waved, even though he knew they could not see him from his place on the third floor. The pain in his shoulder had faded to a dull throb now, and from what he had overheard, the doctors would be releasing him before the week was out.

And his hunch was correct, for two days later, Haruto Sakaki was released from the hospital, leaving one of his arms behind him. As he walked through the downstairs lobby, he felt the eyes of all in the room focus on him, then slowly drift down to his empty jacket sleeve. Self-consciousness flooded his being and the rookie lowered his head until his chin was almost touching his chest.

It was so humiliating…all he wanted to do was escape, to disappear somewhere and hide forever, where no one could see his shame and the world would never know of his failure.

"I expected as much from a man." Warm hands cupped his cheeks and picked his head up, forcing him to meet a pair of dryly amused blue eyes. "Are you gonna act like this and admit to me that Avi kicked your ass? So he took away your arm, but you still have your pride, don't you?" She paused, and Sakaki saw resolution and determination steal over her face.

"Don't tell me I've fallen for a sissy guy," she said, her cheeks flushing a little.

His own cheeks burning, Sakaki gently pulled her hand away from his mouth and took hold of it firmly in his good one. His head rose now of its own accord and the blonde girl saw Sakaki's old familiar fighting spirit rekindling in his eyes. Grinning from ear to ear, she squeezed his hand and the two walked out of the hospital together, their heads held high.

***

"Yeah, I've been tracking him for the past week and he really hasn't done much."

"Hasn't done much?! He's killed five more people!" Miho Karasuma slammed her hand down on the desk next to Michael's computer, wincing and yanking it back immediately.

Even though it had been almost a week since the incident with Avi, Robin and Karasuma were still weaker then they would like to be. Sakaki was back at work too, and though they didn't know it, everyone had Doujima to thank. Said girl was sitting next to Sakaki, running her fingers gently over his partly healed stump, whispering something in his ear.

He laughed and turned to witch hunter, whispering a reply in her own ear; she dissolved into giggles also and Karasuma threw them both a tired glance.

But it was Michael who issued the reprimand. "Sakaki! Doujima! Could you guys maybe pay attention for five minutes?!" He gave them a disgusted grunt and glared as they looked up at him, still not moving from each other's sides.

"You know, you two-" their temporary leader began.

"Wait! He's on the move again!" Michael's one hand hovered over the keyboard and his eyes were fixed on the screen.

"He's probably going to kill again!" Karasuma was beginning to crack under all the pressure; one could tell by the note of panic that she let show through in her voice. "We have to stop him!"

"I'll go," Robin said quietly, speaking for the first time.

In unison, the hacker and Karasuma turned to her and exclaimed, "No!"

But the youngest witch hunter merely blinked and stood up; most of the tremors that had wracked her body for the past six days were gone now, and she was able to stand on her own without the aid of the wall or another person.

"Robin, you can't! He's too dangerous and you're still hurt! Besides…he's Miro's brother; all he wants is revenge!" Michael told her in the same tone that Karasuma had used only moments before.

Dumbfounded looks met him from all around.

"We're just going to have to wait a little more for our team to recover-"

"But he's going to take another innocent life. I don't care whose brother he is." Her voice was quiet, and left no room for argument. "I'm going to go after him. Now, would you please give me his location?"

Indecision and urgency fought a war on the young man's face and Robin watched it all with suppressed guilt. _I am sorry to do this to you Michael…_

Finally, with a snarl, he whipped back around to the computer and gave up the location, all the while mentally abusing himself for being so stupid. Robin nodded and spared him an empathetic glance before striding towards the elevator, her hand checking the pocket of her coat to make sure her glasses were there.

Footsteps followed her and she half-turned around, Michael's face filling her vision. His arm slipped around her waist, and his mouth moved to her ear. "If you need help, call me and I swear I will come to you."

"But Michael! You can't! Zaizen-"

He pulled back and shot her a glare almost as fierce as the one he had given to Sakaki and Doujima. "I don't care what that rat bastard does to me so long as you're safe. Now, promise me."

"Michael-"

"Promise me!" the worry in his voice decided her and she gave in to him, if unwillingly.

Her hand strayed to his cheek. "I promise."

Their lips met for the briefest of moments and then she was gone, and to tell the truth, the hacker didn't know if she'd ever be back.


	16. Chapter 16

Ok, so here is the part that was originally intended to be the second half of chapter 15. (Check back and read the UPDATED version of Chapter 15 if you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about.) I've made major revisions and everything, so I hope this one matches your expectations more. So…

If you guys were THAT upset about Sakaki's arm…well…you're gonna hate my guts when you find out what happens in this chapter. .

So before I die, I wanna say, thanks so much for all your support up until this point, and Golden-Sama, your stories kick ass. ^_~ (If I live, I will read your sequel!)

Now read on! And remember…if you kill me now, YOU'LL NEVER FIND OUT HOW IT ENDS!!!!!

***

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

The lines on his face had only grown deeper with the passing week. Now, he looked more then his 20-some years and he felt it too. But that did not stop him, for he knew what he had to do.

Struggling a little with his clothes, Amon finally managed to put them on his mutilated body and grabbed his single crutch with his good arm. He felt for the familiar Orbo gun in his overcoat pocket and smiled coldly when he felt its cool surface. Too bad for Michael that he had forgotten to close the link on Amon's headset before giving up those coordinates.

Straightening his shoulders as much as he could with one bound up and trussed in a sling, he kicked open the door, making sure to use his good foot. _What a mess…_ His ribs moved painfully and he felt more blood ooze through the bandages wrapped around his torso. Wincing, he quickly buried the pain and held the gun up before him as nurses rushed at him.

"I'm leaving."

***

The walled city…not this place again…

Squeezing her eyes closed for a moment, Robin offered up a silent prayer and tried to still the shaking in her legs. Her vespa was parked next to her, but she left it and advanced forward, her craft running hot in her veins.

Only bad memories remained in her mind from this place, and she was hesitant to enter it again.

The walls rose steeply on either side of her, and only a dim golden glow filtered down to light her way. Dust, ancient as the earth itself floated and danced in the air around her and she sniffed quietly, stilling the sneeze that tickled her nose. Crumbling brick and forgotten trash littered the pathways and any other day, Robin would have tried to avoid the debris as much as possible, but not today; today, all her mind had room for was hunting down Avi and not letting him get the best of her in the process.

She wound her way deeper and deeper into the depths of the walled city, her breath coming quick and harsh in her lungs. _I guess I wasn't as ready as I thought…maybe Michael was right…_

The air shimmered slightly to her left and she whirled to face it, firing several shots from her gun. But the glowing green bullets were immediately taken over by miniature vacuums and remained harmlessly suspended in the air.

Gasping, she threw herself onto the ground and rolled to the side, trying to keep herself moving so as to impair Avi's aim.

Air flew past her with a sharp hiss; raising her hand to her face, Robin was surprised to find her glove coming away covered in blood. _He must be able to propel small vacuums through the air, using them to make a cleaner cut then anything else could hope to achieve._ Her mind took in this depressing fact with an adjusted practice; one more thing to deal with, but she would have to go on for the sake of the entire STN-J.

His laughter rang out once more as he advanced upon her slowly. "Like my little air trick, do ya? I know that you can't possibly have recovered yet from our last little meeting. So why don't you just give up already and let me take your life as payment for Miro's?"

Robin glared up at him and fire shot directly at his face…but never made it; the power of the void took away the air that was its fuel and the flames were extinguished immediately. Bringing up her gun, Robin aimed at his chest, only to find her arm was shaking so badly, she could barely hold it up in the air.

Her shot flew wide, and, much to her chagrin, she found she was out of bullets. Throwing the gun away from her, she moved as fast as she could to the side, trying her best to scramble to her feet and make some sort of getaway.

But another void surrounded her head, and she found herself gasping for air as her knees and hands slapped the ground with enough impact to bloody them up. Slick wetness coated her palms and soaked through her dark skirts, but she hardly noticed as the air was slowly forced from her lungs.

With one final surge of effort, Robin's hands scrabbled around on the ground, searching for something, anything that could puncture the airless space around her head. Her blood began to coat the ground and she slipped on it, the void preventing her chin from smashing into the ground. Her body fell to the side of its own accord and all of a sudden, cool air rushed over Robin's face and she found her chest constricting agonizingly.

Gasping for breath, she looked up just in time to see Avi's foot flying towards her stomach. It connected with a sickened squishing sound and she found her lungs airless for the second time that day. Heaving, she lay on the ground, eyes closed, not even bothering to look up at the witch who had inflicted this pain on her.

Laughing some more, Avi drew a dagger from his belt, running his tongue along the edge of the blade, "It thirsts for your blood…he whispered hoarsely. "It has been too long since I have fed its hunger with flesh!"

With a resigned sort of defeat, Robin surrendered to the man's will, knowing she was too weak to escape her fate. She had gone after Avi the first time at the peak of her power, and yet, still she had failed to defeat the air-mastered witch. Nothing could have prepared her for this. _I'm sorry Michael…please…forgive me…_ She stared at the inside of her eyelids, despair clouding her mind, and waited for the blow that would end her life.

***

Groaning as his crimson lifeblood spattered the ground, Amon leaned against the wall, breath rattling forth from his lungs in a ragged, uneven rhythm. His entire right arm was throbbing like a drum, and he could feel his pulse thundering in his ears. All his partly healed wounds had seemed to open up once more, and Amon found that his foot was aching as if a thousand knives were stuck in it like a pincushion.

His crutch fell to the ground with a clatter, but he didn't bother to stoop down and retrieve it; he could hear the sounds of insane laughter from the top of the flight of stairs that loomed before him. Breathless, he clutched at his chest, trying to regain some of the oxygen his body so desperately needed. Sweat streamed down his face and dripped off his chin; his hair was soaked with it, and he reached up with a shaking hand and shoved it out of his stinging eyes.

After a moment more, the hunter mounted the steps cautiously, keeping the weight off of his injured foot and propping his good left arm up with the dilapidated railing that followed the stairs' path upwards. He hobbled weakly along and tried his best to ignore the fireworks of pain exploding in his head. Amon could only hope he would get there in time, for his blood was flowing ever more freely, a miniature red waterfall being created in its wake.

***

Circling around his fallen prey, Avi felt the rush of his craft singing in his veins. Long ago he had given into the insistent voice in his head, the one that told him to kill. Told him to kill and to _like_ it. Long ago he had forfeited his soul to the power that now made up his very being, sacrificing all semblance of control and surrendering to a primal instinct that should have remained long buried.

This was what happened when a man turned his back to God.

With a gruesome smile plastered on his face, Avi knelt down by the defeated witch hunter and pressed the blade of the dagger to her throat. "Farewell, my pretty little sacrifice." He brought the blade up to above his head and brought it back down with a powerful swoop.

But the feeling of a gun pressed to the back of his head stopped his thrust in midair and brought his body whirling around to face the intruder.

"I don't think so," Amon said, standing behind the other man, but not knowing how.

Snarling, Avi dove for the other man, aiming his knife towards the already bloodstained stomach of the dark man. _So this is it…_ Amon thought, and brought his gun up before him.

Even as the dagger pierced his stomach, he released an Orbo bullet point blank into the chest of his attacker and watched, satisfied as the light suddenly went out of his eyes.

A searing pain then shot through his entire body, and Amon felt himself teetering, losing his balance as the world rocked beneath him and his blood left his body like water bursting through a dam.

"AMON!" Robin cried as the dark hunter fell, landing on top of the unconscious witch with a sickening thud and a hideous crunching sound. Mustering up the last of her strength, she crawled over to his blood-soaked form and gently pulled it away from the witch's body, bringing his bandaged head to rest in her lap.

His dark, pain-clouded eyes stared up at her from beneath sweaty bangs. "I'm not afraid anymore…" he gasped.

Tears falling from her eyes, Robin leaned over his face and pushed away his hair. "Don't talk!" she told him, her voice shaking dangerously. "It's-"

"No…" he whispered. "I'm falling now…as if from a great height…" His eyes grew more and more clouded with each passing word. "But…how strange…" Here a little smile spread across his lips, the first one Robin had ever seen. "I'm not afraid…of heights…anymore…"

And as he closed his eyes for the final time, Amon sought out the girl's hand and held it gently in his own. Her tears fell upon his face like rain, and as she watched, his lips parted and his chest stilled; the color of life faded slowly from his cheeks as Amon's soul departed the mortal world.

***

. Like I said, if you kill me, you won't find out how the story ends! And you won't get to read my (possible) sequel… Heh…

I await your reviews and comments with much curiosity…

~SanoGirl

P.S. I feel much more confident about this chapter; I was able to write it unhurried and uninhibited so now I can honestly say that I worked my best at this. It may not seem better or worse or even any different to you guys, but it certainly makes me, as the author, feel a heck of a lot better. ^.^


	17. Chapter 17

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

When the Factory finally arrived to take Avi away, they found Robin sitting still as stone amidst a lake of blood. Amon's head was still cradled in her lap, and the dead hunter's cold hand was still clutched in hers.

Minutes later, Doujima, Karasuma, and Sakaki entered the walled city, their feet moving as fast as they could towards the place where Amon had fallen. The Factory had contacted them and informed them of their leader's death, but not one of them would believe it until they were able to see it with their own eyes.

Bursting into the open area where the hunt had taken place, the teens and the older women all rushed to the blood-covered hunters and fell to their knees, tears glittering in every eye.

"Amon…" Doujima whispered, her voice unnaturally high.

"Is he really-" Sakaki asked, biting off his last word before it could escape his mouth.

Robin didn't say anything, just continued to sit and stare down at her fallen partner with deadened eyes. Only the shallow rise and fall of her chest assured her friends she was still alive.

As Avi was taken away, more people came to remove Amon's body, their eyes emotionless as they draped a white cloth over his battered body. They were used to seeing death, as it was a part of their job everyday; so much so, in fact, that they had reached the point where it no longer affected them much. Gentle hands lifted Robin up as well, and carried her slowly out of the walled city, placing her in an ambulance that took her back to the very hospital she had just been released from a week ago.

As the siren faded into the distance, the others trudged away from the bloody battleground; Sakaki had his arm around Doujima's waist, and Karasuma walked beside them, her eyes tired and her tears silent. _She looks so…old…_

Leaning over, the one-armed hunter placed a brotherly kiss on his female partner's cheek and watched as her pained eyes met his.

Now, the burden on leader was solely hers to bear; no longer did the hope of Amon's return lighten her load, no longer did it life her spirit a little at the mere thought of his tall, dark form striding into the STN-J just like he used to.

Amon was dead, and the STN-J witch hunting team was falling apart.

***

"Damn!" The keyboard jumped as the hacker's fist smacked down on the table next to it. "DAMN!" Sakaki stood looking at him quietly, Doujima and Karasuma having gone home.

"She was hurt," he tried to explain to the anguished teen. "That Avi guy really beat her up bad! I'm only telling you what the doctors said!" His tone now had an underlying hint of pleading in it, as he was trying to cool the hacker's wrath.

"I don't care!" Michael shouted, misdirecting his anger at the rookie. "She promised she would come back!"

Lowering his eyes to the floor, Sakaki whispered, "I'm sorry," and turned on his heel. Moments later, Michael heard the ding of the elevator and knew Sakaki was gone.

Slumping into his chair, he pulled his arm to his chest, it was pure habit now, to support it so, and let his chin fall to his chest. _Robin…you promised me you'd come back! How could you do this to me? To yourself?!_

Sakaki had taken Miss Karasuma and Doujima home, then stopped by the hospital before retuning to the STN-J. He had spoken with the doctors and been informed that while they were almost certain Robin would recover, she might never be the same again. Glumly, the one-armed man had nodded and thanked them, dreading telling her hacker lover about her condition.

And now, as he sped home, driving a car now since his motorcycle couldn't be ridden with only one arm, he felt his eyes sting with exhaustion and his muscles ache with a draining sort of anguish, a physical pain that seemed to leech away his strength little by little. Tiredly, he parked the car and plodded up the steps to his small apartment.

"Sakaki."

Jumping, he noticed Doujima sitting, hunched over outside his door.

"Doujima?" he reached down and pulled her to her feet, bracing himself when she threw her arms around his neck.

Her lips brushed his ear. "_I don't want to be alone…_"

Sakaki felt the shudder that ran through her body with her words, then sighed as it transferred to his. Wrapping his arm solidly around her waist, he pulled her as close as he could and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling the sweet smell that was purely Yurika Doujima. Sighing also, she squeezed her eyes shut and rested her chin on his shoulder.

Minutes later, their grips loosened and the door to the apartment was opened, the two forms slipping inside without ever fully letting go of the other. They had found a sense of comfort in each other, and in their bond that would transcend time and space and ultimately join them together forever.

They had discovered the one place that would shelter them from the demons that were sure to plague their sleep, the one place that would offer a safe port in the storm. That place, was the other's arms.

***

Face hardened into a determined mask, Michael hovered over his computer, hitting a few last keys and watching, satisfied, as the screen finally went dark, and the humming and whirring stopped.

With a sneer, he crept silently into his boss's office; even though Zaizen had long since gone home, he still kept quiet out of habit. Reaching around his neck with one hand, he ripped off the damning links and set them on Zaizen's chair, knowing his boss would see them first thing when he came to work in the morning.

Grinning at the thought, he turned to the floor-length windows that lined the wall behind Zaizen's desk. Pressing the fingers of his good hand to the cool glass, he sighed and watched for several minutes as the stars wheeled overhead.

Finally, he roused his tired body and turned to leave the darkened room.

_I'm coming Robin!_

***

Well, I'm getting down to the wire here folks; after this one, there will only be one more chapter, two maybe AT THE MOST. I'm almost 100% sure now that I'm gonna do a sequel. I came up with the framework of a plot on the bus ride home today after school, and I should be able to make it work.

I hope you've enjoyed things so far, and I wanted to say thanks for stickin' with this story all the way to the end! (Even though I _did_ kill Amon…  ^_~  I'm so glad you all decided to let me live long enough to finish!!!)

Guess that's it for this chappie!

~SanoGirl


	18. Chapter 18

I Cannot Offer You Freedom

~*~

The night air was chill as it whipped around his slender frame, and he found himself wishing for the millionth time that he had a jacket. _Well, when you're a prisoner, I guess you really don't need one,_ he thought bitterly and rubbed his arms.

A battered pack was slung over his shoulder and he now reached inside and yanked out his phone, pulling up the maps he had loaded onto it before leaving the STN-J. _Just a few more blocks…_

The whistling wind drove wisps of clouds across the moon that made the shadows on the wide street dance and writhe as if they were alive. Glancing around uneasily, Michael sped up his pace a little and kept his eyes forward.

A knot had formed in his gut as soon as he had taken those first few steps outside of Raven's Flat; a knot that consisted of his fear of death, and his will to live. But now, as the hospital loomed up stark and shadowed before him, he set his shoulders and calmed to roiling in his gut; what mattered here was Robin, and that was all.

Slowing down as he approached, he peered in through the wide glass doors and caught sight of the night reception nurse. With a gasp, he shrunk back even further into the darkness, then risked another look.

Ebony hair swinging down her back, the nurse stood and glanced around the waiting room surreptitiously. When she was satisfied that no one was hiding underneath any of the many couches or chairs, she turned and left the room, a cell phone dangling from her hand.

Michael snorted to himself. And he had thought that he was going to have a hard time getting in here.

Waiting a few more seconds to make sure the nurse did not come back, Michael yanked out his own phone again and double-checked Robin's room number. He had already hacked into the hospital's poorly guarded computers and fed a loop of the past five minutes to any of the cameras that might catch him on his way to room B190. That way, it would appear as if the hallways remained empty, allowing him and Robin to hopefully escape.

Slipping quietly into the sleeping hospital, the hacker stole across the waiting area and crept up the stairs on tip-toes, pack and phone clutched to his chest. His breathing was shallow and quiet, and at the slightest creaking of the building, or snoring of a patient he froze, eyes darting every which way.

_Almost there!_

***

She was floating, and darkness was all around her, cradling her, soothing her and taking away all her pain. _Michael…Michael…_ But the dark did not like that word and it stole it from her lips the moment it escaped. Frantic now, Robin watched as Avi appeared before her once more, his corpse rotting and mutilated, dripping blood and dropping clods of flesh wherever he stepped.

He leered at her from a bloody mouth and held out his hand towards her. Looking down, she focused on the round object in her hand and jumped back when Michael's death-clouded eyes stared up at her. Avi buried his fingers deeper into the orange locks and brought the grisly object up before her face.

Mouth opening in a silent scream, Robin awoke to a light touch on her arm, and a soft calling of her name.

Frightened, she bolted upright and turned to the bedside. Michael knelt beside her bed, his fingers caressing her arm. With a strangled noise she shrank back, then reached out with a trembling hand and touched his cheek. "You're…you're alive. He didn't kill you."

Confused, Michael asked, "Who killed me?"

Shuddering, Robin leaned down and placed her arms about his neck. "Avi…he was in my dream…"

Making soothing noises, the hacker stroked her hair, ignoring the bulk of his cast, and hugged her close. "It's ok, I'm here and Avi's dead…Shh…"

After a few moments, the girl calmed a little, then pulled back and looked her lover straight in the eye. "He sacrificed himself to save me. He's dead now because of me."

Confused once more, this time by the change of topic, Michael's mind took a few moments to adjust. "What? No! No, Amon…he _chose_ to come to you, and it's a good thing he did. It was the only thing he felt he could do, and it was better for him to die out there in a hunt then wasting away in the hospital."

"But he gave up his life to save me! His life!" She buried her head in his shoulder.

"I know, I know, it's a price that should never have to be paid, but what's done is done. Amon chose to give himself up so you could live; no one forced him to. He did what was right by him."

A few more long moments went by before Robin's voice reached the hacker's ears, muffled by his shoulder. "Why are you here anyway, Michael?"

"I came…I came to see you."

When the girl sat up, Michael caught the glimpse of fear that sparked in her emerald eyes. "Michael! Zaizen's going to have you killed if he finds out! You have to go back now! I'm fine!"

"No!" Michael exclaimed vehemently. "I can't! I want to be with you! Look," he took a deep breath. "Let's get away from here, go somewhere else! I told you before that I couldn't offer you freedom, but now…" he placed a hand under her chin and raised her head up to meet her eyes. " I can."

Tears filled her eyes at his words. "But not at the cost of your life!"

"That's why we have to leave!"

"Michael! They'll hunt us!"

"Maybe at first, but after a while, they'll be sure to give up! We can hide out until then. Look Robin, I know we can do this! You'll just have to trust me." His eyes were full of adoration and Robin only found herself sinking deeper into their depths as she watched the fascinating color shift that happened with the hacker's strong emotions.

Minutes passed as the two sat and stared into one another's eyes as if they were trying to see what lie hidden the very depths of their souls.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Robin turned away and glanced out her window, gazing at the cold stars shimmering overhead. "But…where? Where could we go?"

Smiling, the hacker rose and scooped the petite girl up in his arms. "Wherever we want," he whispered in her ear.

Feeling her response in the form of the light kiss that was placed on his cheek, Michael smiled, and together, the two walked out of the hospital and into their new life.

END

***

*heaves a huge sigh* Well folks, it's done. That's it. The end. I'm finished. *grins* And don't it feel good. Right now it is…11:04 at night and I am typing this on my laptop, but it's finished!!! ^_~ 

The ending…well, even to me it seems very vague and abrupt, but you know what? I think I kind of like it that way; it leaves it open to your interpretation. I think I filled in most of the MAJOR holes and solved the bigger problems. The rest is up to you and to…my sequel! (Which will be written as soon as I can get around to it- gomen, but I have at least six or so other fics I am working on at the moment, so whenever I get a spare moment, I'll start writing!)

This has been my most successful fic so far, and I wanted to take this space here to thank you all, for the final time, for all the wonderful reviews, comments, and suggestions. They have helped me so much, and have given me a lot more confidence in my writing. Combined with the other sites that I have this posted on, I have almost 250 reviews! Do you know how amazing that feels to an author, to know that their work is appreciated?! You guys have been the greatest, so…THANKS FOR STICKIN' WITH IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH!

Oh, the other thing I wanted to mention…my grammar and spelling. T.T Yes, I know they suck, and that has been the one thing that seemed to tick people off the most. (Besides me killing Amon. BTW: My friend Nightsailor almost rounded up a lynch mob to hunt me down when she found out I had killed her favorite character. ^.^;; Oh well, to each his own.) I'm very sorry for all the errors, and I know there are TONS of them, but at least you could still tell what I was trying to say! *making pathetic excuses*

So anyway, enough of my blabbing. Thanks again, you guys were great, and I hope to see you back here for the sequel!!!!

~SanoGirl


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